When I got home, I noticed there were two empty containers of pad Thai in the trash. Also two sets of plastic chopsticks and two bottles of Heineken in the recycling bin. I asked my mom if she’d had Mr. G over for dinner—my God, she’d spent the whole day with him already!—and she said, “Oh, no, honey. I was just really hungry.”
That’s two lies she’s told me in one day. This thing with Mr. G must be pretty serious.
Lilly still hasn’t called. I’m starting to think maybe I should call her. But what would I say? I didn’t do anything. I mean, I know I told her to shut up, but that was only because she told me I was turning into Lana Weinberger. I had every right to tell her to shut up.
Or did I? Maybe nobody has a right to tell anybody to shut up. Maybe this is how wars get started, because someone tells someone else to shut up, and then no one will apologize.
If this kee
ps up, who am I going to eat lunch with tomorrow?
Monday, October 13, Algebra
When Lars pulled up in front of Lilly’s building to pick her up for school, her doorman said she’d already left. Talk about holding a grudge.
This is the longest fight we’ve ever had.
When I walked into school, the first thing somebody did was shove a petition in my face.
Boycott Ho’s Deli!
Sign below and take a stand against racism!
I said I wouldn’t sign it, and Boris, who was the person holding it, told me I was ungrateful, and that in the country he came from voices raised in protest had been crushed for years by the government, and that I should feel lucky I lived in a place where I could sign a petition and not live in fear that the secret police would come after me.
I told Boris that in America we don’t tuck our sweaters into our pants.
One thing you have to say for Lilly: She acts fast. The whole school is plastered with Boycott Ho’s Deli posters.
The other thing you have to say about Lilly: When she’s mad, she stays mad. She is totally not speaking to me.
I wish Mr. G would get off my case. Who cares about integers, anyway?
Operations on Real Numbers: negatives or opposites—numbers on opposite sides of the zero but the same distance from zero on the number line are called negatives or opposites
What to Do During Algebra
O what to do during Algebra!
The possibilities are limitless:
There’s drawing, and yawning,
and portable chess.
There’s dozing, and dreaming,
and feeling confused.
There’s humming, and strumming,
and looking bemused.
You can stare at the clock.
You can hum a little song.
I’ve tried just about everything