Happy

I put my whole life into teaching

Just to be a mere substitute

Happy? You want me to be happy?

I never got my own class

Never even got to try

Never got respect

Never got to hunt a fly

Just signs on my back

Thumbtacks on my chair

Spitballs, fireballs, gum

And Milk Duds in my underwear

And here I am, after forty-five years

No respect, no steady work, and no family

You want me to be happy?

Look, I also had dreams that never happened

Like seeing the Everglades or spreading salmonella

But this year, I fell into something even better

I really clicked with these kids

Oh, maybe it helped just a little

That you're a talking animal

Yeah, but also maybe it's you

Because I've seen some subs come through the school that kids love

What about Ms. Knight?

Nice to the kids, didn't smell quite right

Remember Mr. Munk?

He was a closet drunk

Everyone loved Mr. Garrett

He was disturbingly close to his parrot

This may have been before your time

Miss Loge?

A fine teacher

She was mine

You were a student here?

You don't remember me?

I was a lot different

I was

Happy

Oh wow, yeah, you were very sweet

I was adorable

And she—

She made you

Happy

Yes, she did, she made me feel like I could do anything

And, tell me, do you think she was

Happy?

She made you her family

That's what great teachers do, even substitutes

With the little time they have, they try to make a difference

And that's what keeps them happy

You can feel love, it's not the end

That smile you had can come back again

Just pull that stick out your tush and take a cue

From teachers that preceded you

You're not alone, make a home for them

And embrace your important role

In shaping them

Body and soul (Hehehe, hoo-hoo)

And you'll be happy (And I'll be happy)