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I Owe an Apology to the Boy Who Took Ritalin in the Nurse’s Office
I spent decades sure ADHD looked like him. Then I got my own diagnosis
Jimmy tipped his chair back on two legs most days. We had all seen it when we walked up to the pencil sharpener or the blackboard. We had all heard a teacher say, “Chair legs on the floor, please, Jimmy.”
One day it kept going.
The crash was loud in the quiet room. One row over and three seats ahead, I sat very still. I didn’t turn around at first, because I knew what it was. Then I half-turned, my cheeks burning. I was embarrassed for him, because I would have been mortified to make a scene like that. I also wanted to see.
Every kid was staring. Some had mouths shaped like Os. Others tittered.
I pressed my lips together and waited for Mrs. Wilson to say something. I figured we would all get reprimanded for letting it interrupt us.
She sighed and waited for him to settle. Jimmy picked himself up and sat back down.
“Jimmy,” she said, “do you need to go to the office?”
“I’m okay, Mrs. Wilson.”
Every day after lunch, Jimmy went to the nurse to take Ritalin, whatever that was. He went through the lunch line with the…
