You might wonder how an old high school teacher updated her professional credentials with the Gayles' Bakery Hot Music and Cake Society. That's what we called ourselves, anyway: Me (the teacher and chocolate cake addict) and the very young punk-rockin' employee at the bakery counter. We met one night just before closing when I came in for my cake fix toting my freshly rented Beatles' video.

She smiled and slid me a tape of Punk music with my change. “Return it next cake purchase,” she instructed.

I cannot say that my multiple-evening experience inspired me to teach Punk lyrics in my English classes, but thereafter I viewed my students with renewed humility and awe, which was much more than a piece of cake.