Next Friday is the last day of school, so
Mr. Pease is holding up a sheet of paper
in homeroom. “Quiet down, students.
Please sign-up for our end-of-the year party.
You can bring any kind of snack,
like brownies or potato chips.”
He gives the paper to Robert
in the first seat in the first row.
When it comes around to me,
I write Sushi, even though I haven’t asked Mama
if she’ll make it.
Then I look at what I’ve written
and think of the faces
the kids will make when they see the sushi
and the tone of their voices
when they ask, “You eat raw fish?”
even though that sushi would have cooked shrimp
and eggs
and vegetables,
or maybe hot dogs.
So I cross out Sushi
and write Chocolate chip cookies.