That’s Very Middling Advice

(I graduated high school two years ago, and I’m currently attending college. Over the summer I am staying at my parents’ house. Long story short, I need to get my driving “green card” from my high school, a document saying that I passed the driver’s class, in order to get my driver’s license. Obviously, I can’t drive there, so I decide to walk there since I have a lot of free time and it’s relatively close by. There are no walkways or anything, only a grassy side path, meaning I have to walk next to the street for a majority of the way. This isn’t a huge problem until I get to the school, where the side path cuts off, forcing me to either walk in the middle of the road, or walk through the school yard. I choose the latter, for obvious reasons.)

Teacher: “Hey, what are you doing?”

Me: “Just walking around the school to get to the main office.”

Teacher: “You’re not supposed to be out there without a teacher!”

(I think nothing of this and move on, getting inside and heading towards the office. When I get there, the receptionist is on her walkie-talkie.)

Voice: *from the walkie-talkie* “Apparently there’s some kid wandering around outside the school. He said he was heading to the office.”

Me: *to the receptionist* “Yeah, that was me. I walked here from my house to get my green card saying I passed the driver’s ed class.”

Receptionist: “Why were you wandering around outside?”

Me: *laughing* “Because it was safer than walking through the street? Sorry, I had no other option.”

Receptionist: “You shouldn’t do that. On your way back, don’t walk through the yard.”

Me: “Well, like I said, it was either that or walk through the middle of the road, so…”

Receptionist: “Well, do that then.”

Me: “Hold on. Did you, a school employee, just tell me I should walk down the middle of the street during lunch hour?”

Receptionist: “Yes, I did. You can’t just wander around school grounds without a teacher or staff member present.”

(Eventually I left, making sure not to walk on their precious school grounds. I still can’t believe I was told that I should walk down the middle of the road!)