Shy Song Lee
M iss Mackle looked out the window of Room 2B. âItâs snowing in March?â
Harry jumped out of his seat. âHot dog! Come and see, Doug.â
âAll right!â I said, slapping Harry five. It was fun watching the snow stick to the playground and treetops.
When I turned around, everybody was up at the windows.
Except Song Lee.
The teacher smiled at her. âYou have permission to leave your seat.â
âThank you, Miss Mackle.â
Miss Mackle sighed. âI wish everyone in our second grade class had your good manners, Song Lee.â
âSTOP PUSHING!â Dexter shouted.
Harry held up a fist. âYouâre in my face. Move over, scuzzball.â
Dexter put up two fists. âMake me, lizard breath.â
âHarry and Dexter are fighting,â Sidney called.
Miss Mackle waved her hands in the air. âThatâs it! Everyone sit down.â
Harry and I shot Sidney a look. His tattling always got us in trouble.
After we returned to our seats, Miss Mackle looked at the class.
No one was smiling.
Most of us were moaning.
âI think we all have a case of cabin fever,â Miss Mackle said.
âWhatâs that?â Mary asked.
âIt happens when people are cooped up in one place for a long time. Everyone gets grumpy.â
âGGGGGrrrrr,â Harry growled, as he stood up and dangled his arms like a monster.
Song Lee giggled.
âI wish I could fly this coop and go to Texas,â I grumbled.
Miss Mackle snapped her fingers. âDoug, you just gave me an idea! Itâs time for Room 2B to take a vacation.â
âYEAH!â we all shouted.
Mary counted the days on our bird calendar. âHow can we? Spring break is two weeks away.â
Miss Mackle held up the globe, and spun it once. âThe mind can take you anywhere! For homework tonight, each one of you will prepare a talk, and take us to your favorite vacation spot. Tell us what it is like. Bring in family pictures, maps, or brochures if you have them.â
âI never go anywhere,â I groaned.
âMe, either,â Sidney replied.
Song Lee raised her hand. She looked like she was going to cry.
âYes?â Miss Mackle said.
âI feel sick.â
I looked at Song Lee. She wasnât really sick. She just didnât want to stand in front of the class and give a talk.
Whenever the class had a play, Song Lee had a silent part, like a dead fish or Little Miss Muffet.
Miss Mackle put her hand on Song Leeâs forehead. âYou arenât warm. Is your stomach bothering you?â
Song Lee nodded. âI feel sick and sad all morning.â
âReally? A moment ago you were giggling at Harry.â
Song Lee looked down at her desk.
Miss Mackle patted her head. âDonât worry, Song Lee. You can give a short little talk tomorrow.â
When the teacher left, Song Lee took out her pink cherry-blossom handkerchief.
âAre you crying?â I asked.
Song Lee sniffed a few times.
When she caught her breath she whispered, âIf I donât give talk tomorrow, I get zero on homework chart.â
âDonât worry,â Harry said, putting his elbow on my desk. âYouâll never have as many zeros as me.â
I looked over at the homework chart. Song Leeâs row of red stars was twice as long as Harryâs. âGee, youâve never gotten a zero!â
Song Lee wiped her eyes. âI donât feel well. I stay home ... write story about vacation. Mother bring story in and Miss Mackle give me red star on yellow homework chart.â
âIf you stay home, youâll miss my talk,â I said.
âAnd mine,â Harry added, flashing his white teeth and making his thick eyebrows go up and down.
Song Lee giggled.
Harry could always make her laugh. Even now, when she had tears in her eyes.
âYou have to come tomorrow,â we said.
The next morning when the bell rang, Song Lee
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