A Boy.
Page 3-5.
1-10
3. Story
Page 3
Bradley Chalkers
sat at his desk
in the back
of the room –
last seat,
last row.
No one sat
at the desk
next to him
or at the one
in front of him.
He was an island.
If he could have,
he would have
sat in the closet.
Then he could
shut the door
so he wouldn’t
have to listen
to Mrs. Ebbel.
He didn’t think
she’d mind.
She’d probably
like it better
that way too.
So would
the rest of the class.
All in all,
he thought everyone
would be much happier
if he sat in the closet,
but, unfortunately,
his desk didn’t fit.
“Class,”
said Mrs. Ebbel.
“I would like you all
to meet
Jeff Fishkin.
Jeff has just moved here
from Washington, D.C.,
which, as you know,
is our nation’s capital.”
Bradley looked up
at the new kid
who was standing
at the front of the room
next to Mrs. Ebbel.
“Why don’t you
tell the class a little bit
about yourself, Jeff,”
urged Mrs. Ebbel.
End of Part 1
Part 4.
Words and Chinese 11-20
The new kid shrugged.
“There’s no reason
to be shy,” said Mrs. Ebbel.
The new kid
mumbled something,
but Bradley couldn’t hear
what it was.
“Have you ever been
to the White House, Jeff?”
Mrs. Ebbel asked.
“I’m sure the class
would be very interested
to hear about that.”
Page 4
“No, I’ve never been there,”
the new kid said very quickly
as he shook his head.
Mrs. Ebbel smiled at him.
“Well, I guess we’d better
find you a place to sit.”
She looked around the room.
“Hmm, I don’t see anyplace except,
I suppose you can sit there,
at the back.”
“No, not next to Bradley!”
a girl in the front row
exclaimed.
“At least it’s better
than in front of Bradley,”
said the boy next to her.
Mrs. Ebbel frowned.
She turned to Jeff.
“I’m sorry,
but there are no other
empty desks.”
“I don’t mind
where I sit,”
Jeff mumbled.
“Well, nobody
likes sitting…there,”
said Mrs. Ebbel.
“That’s right,”
Bradley spoke up.
“Nobody likes sitting
next to me!”
He smiled a strange smile.
He stretched
his mouth so wide,
it was hard to tell
whether it was a smile
or a frown.
He stared at Jeff
with bulging eyes
as Jeff awkwardly
sat down next to him.
Jeff smiled back at him,
so he looked away.