This Journal Belongs to Ratchet by Nancy J. Cavanaugh

be the day that “the fuel gets to the engine,” as Dad puts it. Otherwise I don’t know what I’m going to do. Test day will be here soon.
    But at least I’m getting something out of it. We’ve studied at Hunter’s house a couple of times. It’s been great! His mom is always floating around doing nice things. Smiling. Bringing us juice boxes. (Hunter rolled his eyes when she did that. Said his mom was embarrassing him. He doesn’t know what embarrassment is until he’s lived with my dad.)
    Yesterday she even made butter cookies with sprinkles on them. (Hunter didn’t mind when she did that.) They were even better than the chocolate chip cookies she brought over when we fixed her car. She gave me a whole bunch to take home. Since I’m so mad at Dad I was thinking about hiding them when I got home so I could eat them all myself. But when I saw Dad on the garage floor still lying on his back underneath someone’s Jeep changing the oil, I decided Hunter’s mom’s butter cookies were something Dad really needed. The same way I really needed someone like Hunter to be my friend.

WRITING EXERCISE: Poetry
    Hunter’s Mom
    Turquoise everything
    Sundress
    Flip-flops
    Ponytail holder
    Earrings
    Even her smile
    Is
    Bright blue
    Hunter
    Fun
    Being together
    Frustrating
    Studying together
    He
    Doesn’t
    Remember
    Anything

WRITING EXERCISE: Poetry
    Back to the
    Goodwill store
    For matching
    Anything.
    Come close with the
    Lime green tank top.
    (Only a small brown stain.)
    Dark green cutoffs.
    (Missing a button.)
    Olive green plastic flip-flops.
    (Almost new.)
    And a white scrunchie.
    (Still in the package.)
    When I stand at the mirror
    I look better than usual,
    But not as good as I had hoped.
    Haven’t really
    Created
    My own style
    Yet.

WRITING EXERCISE: Do-Over Assignment: MEMO
    (I’m writing my own memo this time.)
    Day: Wednesday
    To: Ratchet
    From: Ratchet
    Subject: Studying with Hunter
    After studying for four days:
    1. Hunter knows the names of almost all the tools, but still looks like a preschooler with a toy tool kit when he uses them.
    2. He doesn’t know the names of hardly any engine parts.
    3. He can take the engine apart but still has no idea how to put it back together.
    4. He couldn’t explain the four-stroke cycle if his life depended on it.
    5. As a mechanic, Hunter is as hopeless as a spark plug without a spark.

WRITING EXERCISE: Write a personal response to a well-known proverb.
    Jewish Proverb:
    â€œA mother understands what a child does not say.”
    Ratchet’s Response:
    Dad doesn’t notice
    My almost matching clothes.
    My ponytail looking neater
    Than usual.
    My waiting for Hunter to get home
    From school.
    A mom,
    My mom,
    Would’ve noticed all of this
    And even more.
    She would’ve noticed
    I was excited,
    Even a little bit nervous.
    She would’ve noticed
    How hard I was trying
    To make a good impression.
    She would’ve noticed
    How important it was for me
    To have a friend.
    And she would’ve noticed
    That having a boy like Hunter
    Pay attention,
    Really pay attention
    Is a really big deal.

WRITING EXERCISE: Poetry
    Hunter doesn’t notice my clothes.
    But
    We don’t study.
    We play video games.
    Hanging out like real friends.
    It makes me feel as good on the inside
    As I had hoped to look on the outside.

WRITING EXERCISE : Write a realistic one-act play.
    Writing Format —A PLAY: The stage representation of a scene or a story.
    Scene: The garage. Tools and engine parts scattered everywhere. Oldies music playing in the background. Ratchet points to the intake valve on a small engine.
    Ratchet : What’s this?
    Hunter looks puzzled as if he’s seeing an engine for the first time. He sighs.
    Hunter: I don’t know.
    Ratchet: How can you not know?! We’ve been over this a thousand times!
    Hunter shakes his head.
    Hunter: I’ve been studying all week long, and I still