TALKING IN CODE

When I was on my way out of the art room, Ms. D asked me if I had a minute to “talk.”

“Okay,” I said. But I thought, Uh-oh! Where is this headed?

“Do you have any ideas for your statement piece?” she asked me.

“I don’t know,” I told her. “It’s a big assignment.”

“Don’t think about it too much,” she said. “Sometimes it’s very simple. For instance, I think even this ‘SAM’ fellow is making a statement with his art.”

“You do?” I said. And I thought, UH-OH! I think I know where this is headed.

“I think he’s saying ‘Art is worth looking at,’” Ms. D said. “But what do you think, Rafe?”

And I thought, RED ALERT! RED ALERT! WE ARE DEFINITELY UNDER ATTACK!