Mind Games by Jeanne Marie Grunwell Page B

reason for me to use such nice shampoo.
    When we are assembled in the classroom, we are at first five in addition to the teacher. Then is another surprise, for Brandon who is in my homeroom comes at the very last moment and sits next to me. Though he eats a Snickers bar plump with peanuts and sweet caramel, he seems to taste bitterness. I think I know why, for I have seen him mark the basketball space on his club paper. And I see he wears those shoes which make the nice squeak on the basketball court. I see this plainly, for his feet are on my chair.
    At this time, Mr. Ennis introduces himself. Then he turns water into wine! And he turns it back!
    Wine is not permitted in American public schools, and we are all very amazed, except for Brandon, who yawns. I see Ben and the girl named for the letter G leaning forward in their seats with much interest. But then Mr. Ennis says he never made wine. He shows us how his chemicals make the water change colors.
    I do not watch the chemicals. I watch instead the lizard as it catches a cricket with its long tongue, and the turtles, three hiding very still among the rocks. I look in the third cage, but I see only a log and a dish that says Alice.
    "Who is this Alice?" I whisper to Brandon.
    "Alice?" he says. "My grandma."
    Grandma,
I think. I know this word. Dear Babushka, whose only fault is her snoring—and through many years of sharing a room, to this I have grown accustomed—is my grandma. Babushka, even if she were slim, would never fit in such a cage.
    "I killed Alice," Kathleen says, quite cheerful as though she has just plucked a beautiful flower. Then she begins to cry. The sister produces a handful of tissues even before I notice a single tear.
    "It is okay, Kathleen," I say. "Do not cry." Though in truth I cannot believe I am in the same room with the person who has killed the dear babushka of Brandon.
    The sister whispers could I please try not to make Kathleen feel better. Or she will cry for an even greater time.
    And then Brandon yawns. And Mr. Ennis talks some more about these chemicals. And Kathleen sobs and hiccups and finally is silent.
    I look forward to returning to my ESL (English as a Second Language) class, where everything is simple—"How are you?" and "It is cloudy today." It is always cloudy today in Maryland.
    Then I hear Mr. Ennis say homework.
    "Dang, Mr. Ennis," Brandon says. "This is club. We're not supposed to have homework in club."
    "That's right," G says.
    I am thinking, how can I ever do this homework? I am not smart like these other people who have lifelong English.
    Kathleen says, "I can't do the same homework as everybody else. I'm not smart like everybody else. I'm just stupid." She cries once more into her sister's tissues. I watch her sister take charge of these tissues—it is even more amazing than the water and the wine. Then Kathleen blows her nose, and I am truly amazed. Never have I heard the human nose make such a sound—not even Babushka's at night when she dreams her deepest dreams of home.
    "You will do your homework together. Each of you will have your own part. Each of you will have something to contribute," Mr. Ennis says. "You are going to prepare a project for the school science fair in January."
    Ben raises his hand immediately. "Can I work on anything I want? I have a great idea. What about the county science fair? And the state? Will you be my sponsor?" He gasps for breath now, as though he has in fact been to basketball rather than Mad Science.
    "Assuming you win the school science fair," Mr. Ennis says, "you will go to the county science fair in February. Assuming you place in the county science fair, you will go on to the state science fair in March. You are going to accomplish these things by researching a great mystery of science—together. And together, maybe you are going to solve it. Write down some ideas, and we will discuss them next week."
    Ben puts his fists in the air, as though he is crossing