My overhead projector has a baby dragon living in it!

Last Thursday, my student teacher, Daniel, was teaching; I was across the hall, hiding out in the math office, cutting and pasting and humming, and he came busting in to ask me a question. He scared me, I laughed, then he laughed. He explained that my overhead projector wouldn't turn off, there was a message on the board saying it was overheating. Meh, it's done that before, so I stomped over in my boots to help out. (I was looking mighty great at work today, Dean complimented me, Nic complimented me, and later that afternoon, I got a lot of nods and doors held open as I walked to the back of the gym to change into non-flattering clothes ... I digress). So I grab the compressed air bottle, move kids out from underneath the projector (dust flies out and it's gross, but I didn't tell them that), and coach Daniel through where to send that air. He did a great job, I tried to turn the projector off, but it still said it was overheating. I shrugged and suggested Daniel spray a little bit more. He touched the projector and made a side comment about it being really hot and how he hoped he didn't burn his face off ... and then ... he sprayed through the back, and flames shot out the side right by his face! I kid you not! Flames!

I gasped. Some students also witnessed the flames.

I didn't know what to do! And I couldn't get over trying to figure out how the heck flames came out. Then it started to smell like smoke, then I envisioned my projector melting in on itself. I stomp/ran over to Carrie, blurted out in front of her class, "I need help! My projector just shot out flames; I'm not exaggerating!" She suggested I push my emergency button and get the custodians in there quick. I ran/stomped back (I was so loud in the halls with those cute little boots) and excitedly said, "I've never been able to use this!" and pushed the emergency button. Sweet secretary voice came over the intercom, "Did you need help?"

"Yes! I need Dale in my room quick, my projector just shot out flames!" then the kids started laughing, and I didn't hear the beginning of what she said, but I did hear that they would be there quickly. They came in, I acted out what happened while the kids sat silently as I entertained them, then they brought in a huge ladder to get a better look. That ladder was literally about two inches from the ceiling. It looked so silly and tall. They said they would put in a work order, "Do you use it much?"

Of course.

They laughed and suggested I leave it alone as much as possible today, which wasn't hard. The students were all sorts of riled up, and Daniel was in the background of the noise saying frantic things like, "We're still correcting at the end of class!"

What an adventure.