Harjit and me and Jimmy were playing on the slide at recess today and a man came up to us with these really cool sunglasses, like Kanye or something. He was so tall, and he had a big deep voice like Mr. Herman. He said “Yo kids,” he said, “Whatchu doin’ here?” and I said “Hey yo man, we’re just playing on the slide, but Harjit won’t stop being a shithead.” And Jimmy kept being a cry-baby because he wanted to go back on the slide, but I told him to shut up.
Then Mr. Herman came and went up to the sunglasses guy with the big deep voice like he has. He said “Young man”-he said it just like that, like he calls us when we get in trouble and have to stand against the wall—“Young man,” he said, “Young man, why are you here? What’s all this about?” I thought that’s funny, because that’s just like what the sunglasses guy said to Harjit and me and Jimmy.
But he didn’t say anything back to Mr. Herman, and Mr. Herman stared at the sunglasses guy like, all tough, for forever. It was a really long time, and Jimmy kept bugging me to go back on the slide, but I said no, I was watching Mr. Herman and the sunglasses guy.
When the bell rang, Mr. Herman said “Boys”—not young men—he said, “Boys, go inside now,” but he wasn’t even looking at me. Then Harjit tried to get Mr. Herman to let us stay outside, but I told him stop being a shithead and when we started to go inside Jimmy tried to go play again, but Mr. Herman said “Boys, now,” so he didn’t.
©2010. Published with permission. Reproduction without permission is prohibited by international law.