Something’s going on today
at school,
like a party or a special visitor—
the president or maybe an astronaut.
In the halls
girls are whispering at their lockers,
and boys are looking at the floor
more than usual.
I put my books in my locker
because I won’t need any for first period,
home ec. This might be a good time
to go to Mr. MacDougall’s office
and tell him I’ve reformed.
“Hi, Mimi,” someone says. It’s Victor. “You’re back.”
Then lots of kids stop and say “Hi”
and “Wow, you’re back” and “Nice vacation, huh?”
and even “We missed you.”
Then they look at one another
like they know about the party
or the astronaut.
The air in homeroom prickles with energy,
like right before a thunderstorm.
But Mr. Wall takes attendance as usual
and as usual Mr. MacDougall makes announcements over the loudspeaker.
Finally, the bell rings
and I walk to home ec.
I’ll need to show Miss Whittaker
the list of balanced meals I made at home.
But when I get to the classroom,
something’s different—
I’ve gone to the wrong room!
and step back,
look down the corridor. No,
this is the right room.
But, it’s filled with boys.
Andrew, sitting closest to the door,
waves wildly for me to
go to . . .
“Shop?” I ask.
“Yes!” he mouths.
I walk as fast as the rules allow
to shop,
and see a room full of girls.
And Mr. Sperangio with his hands on his hips.
“Look here, young ladies,” he’s saying to them. “You can’t be here.
And what did you do with the boys?”
When I walk in, and he says,
“This is all your idea, isn’t it, Miss Oliver?”
Karen says, “No, it’s not. She was on suspension, remember?
And that was all your idea.”
I can’t believe what’s happening,
but Karen pats the empty stool beside her
and I sit.
“You’ll all go to where you belong
or to the office,” Mr. Sperangio says.
“Let’s go to the office,” Debbie says. “The boys
are probably already there.”