‘So, you’re going to memorize a poem,’ Mr Stessman continued, pausing a moment to smile down at Park like Gene Wilder in the chocolate factory.
‘Brains love poetry. It’s sticky stuff. You’re going to memorize this poem, and five years from now, we’re going to see each other at the Village Inn, and you’ll say,
“Mr
Stessman,
I
still
remember ‘The Road Not Taken!’
Listen … ‘ Two roads diverged in a yellow wood …’”’
He moved on to the next desk.
Park relaxed.
‘Nobody gets to pick “The Road Not Taken,” by the way, I’m sick to death of it. And no Shel Silverstein. He’s grand, but you’ve graduated. We’re all adults here.
Choose an adult poem …
‘Choose
a romantic poem, that’s my advice. You’ll get the most use out of it.’
He walked by the new girl’s desk, but she didn’t turn away from the window.
‘Of course, it’s up to you. You may choose “A Dream Deferred”
– Eleanor?’ She turned blankly.
Mr Stessman leaned in. ‘You may choose it, Eleanor. It’s poignant and it’s truth. But how often will you get to roll that one out?
‘No. Choose a poem that speaks to you. Choose a poem that will help you speak to someone else.’
Park planned to choose a poem that rhymed, so it would be easier to memorize. He liked Mr Stessman, he really did – but he wished he’d dial it back a few notches. Whenever he worked the room
like
this,
Park
got
embarrassed for him.
‘We meet tomorrow in the library,’ Mr Stessman said, back at his desk. ‘Tomorrow, we’re gathering rosebuds.’
The bell rang. On cue.
CHAPTER 6
Eleanor
‘Watch it, raghead.’
Tina pushed roughly past Eleanor and climbed onto the bus.
She had everybody else in their gym class calling Eleanor Bozo, but Tina had already moved on to Raghead and Bloody Mary.
‘Cuz it looks like your whole head is on the rag,’ she’d explained today in the locker room.
It made sense that Tina was in Eleanor’s gym class – because gym was an extension of hell, and Tina was definitely a demon. A weird, miniature demon. Like a toy demon. Or a teacup. And she had a whole gang of lesser demons, all dressed in matching gymsuits.
Actually,
everyone
wore
matching gymsuits.
At Eleanor’s old school, she’d thought it had sucked that they had to wear gym shorts. (Eleanor hated her legs even more than she hated the rest of her body.) But at North they had to wear gym suits.
Polyester onesies. The bottom was red, and the top was red-and-white striped, and it all zipped up the front.
‘Red isn’t your color, Bozo,’
Tina had said the first time Eleanor suited up. The other girls all laughed, even the black girls, who hated Tina. Laughing at Eleanor was Dr King’s mountain.
After Tina pushed past her, Eleanor took her time getting on the bus – but she still got to her seat before that stupid Asian kid.
Which meant she’d have to get up to let him have his spot by the window.
Which
would
be
awkward. It was all awkward.
Every time the bus hit a pothole, Eleanor practically fell in the guy’s lap.
Maybe somebody else on the bus would drop out or die or something and she’d be able move away from him.
At least he didn’t ever talk to her. Or look at her.
At least she didn’t think he did; Eleanor never looked at him.
Sometimes she looked at his shoes. He had cool shoes. And sometimes she looked to see what he was reading …
Always comic books.
Eleanor
never
brought
anything to read on the bus. She didn’t want Tina, or anybody else, to catch her with her head down.
Park
It felt wrong to sit next to somebody every day and not talk to her. Even if she was weird.
(Jesus, was she weird. Today she was dressed like a Christmas tree, with all this stuff pinned to her clothes, shapes cut out of fabric, ribbon …) The ride home couldn’t go fast enough. Park couldn’t wait to get away from her, away from everybody.
‘Dude, where’s your dobak?’
He was trying to eat dinner alone in his room, but his little brother wouldn’t let him. Josh stood in the doorway, already dressed
for
taekwando
and
inhaling a chicken leg.
‘Dad’s going to be here, like now,’ Josh said through the drumstick, ‘and he’s gonna shit if you’re not ready.’
Their mom came up behind Josh and thumped him on the head. ‘Don’t cuss, dirty mouth.’
She had to reach up to do it. Josh was his father’s son; he was already at least seven inches taller than their mom – and three inches taller than Park.
Which sucked.
Park pushed Josh out the door and slammed it. So far, Park’s strategy for maintaining his status as older brother despite their growing size differential was to pretend he could still kick Josh’s ass.
H e could still beat him at taekwando – but only because Josh got impatient with any sport where his size wasn’t an obvious advantage.
The
high
school