For two days, I constantly repeated to the young boy, “Devin! Put away your Rubix cube and do your work!” Finally, in frustration, I took his cube and told him if he wanted it back. his father could pick it up for him after school.

Now, Devin has always been a tiny little fella with light brown hair and the sweetest freckles sprinkled across his face. Whenever this boy smiled, he kinda enchanted all in his path. This child maintained the most adorable grin with one missing tooth off to one side that only added to his appeal. Although in sixth grade, his tiny size made you wonder how he safely navigated the hallway when most of the students towered above him. In truth, he looked like he still belonged in the elementary school situated just next door.

Earlier, this month, he cornered me. Since he knew how to pour on the charm, this kid talked me into buying chocolate from him during the fundraiser for choir even though I swore that I would not buy ANY chocolate this year. But Devin worked his magic; I told him that he should become a salesman.

Well, this little charmer worked his magic again and cast a spell on two of us here at the school one afternoon. The day I took his Rubix cube, he showed up to my class after lunch with a dozen, double chocolate, chocolate chip cookies. He walked into my class with-out stretched arms, bearing his peace offering. He didn’t say a word, but he looked up at me with his big brown eyes, and I caved. I started laughing, and I told him, “Get out of my room, and take your double, chocolate chip cookies with you!” Then, I told him to pick up his cube after school.

I thought it had ended there, but it didn’t. About five minutes after Devin left, one of my former students stopped by to see me. His visit wasn’t unusual for Mayo would often visit. All meetings ended with a hug, and Devin knew that I cared about my former student. Mayo came to my class and asked, “Do you have a tiny little sixth-grade kid in your class?” When I replied yes, Mayo continued, “Um, he’s kinda a neat kid, and I know he got into trouble for playing with a Rubix cube in your class, but um, well, I was wondering if I could pick it up for him?”

I lost it, and so did my fifth-hour class. Poor Mayo had missed Devin’s earlier performance and his double chocolate chip cookies. Mayo grinned when I explained Devin would be receiving his cube after school. I asked Mayo if had ever met this kid before, and he said no. My former student told me that this little kid just came up to him out of the blue and asked for his help. I grinned because Devin had struck again; he had a backup plan and had manipulated a kid in eighth grade to help him wrangle back his cube, just in case his cookie plan failed. Well, this student of mine has already discovered how to play his cards, and I, for one, will never worry about this one, for all bets are on him!