P. of V.

Day Two

Gross Josh

Gross Josh. That's what the kids call me behind my back and sometimes to my face. "Gross" they might say as they act like they are coughing. Or they say it together when I walk by them. "Gross," they say as a group. They try to act like they are not talking about me. They say things like - "That was so Gross" or "My mom made a Gross supper" or "Something smells gross". They think I am too stupid to know that they are talking about me. Gross Josh. They act like they are talking about something else, but they always laugh, and I am the joke.

A group of boys standing in line say  "Oh Gross" when I walk by with my lunch to my new lunch table.

Gross. I am gross. I am Gross Josh.

Timmy

My new friend Josh does not feel like being my friend today. Did someone hurt his feelings? Miss Bennett says that happens all the time. Sometimes I do it to people, but I don't mean to. I am going to use my manners today and be aware of his feelings. I am working on my empathy - which means to understand how other people feel.

I think I understand how Josh feels. Sometimes you just want to be left alone. I like alone.

I turn to Juanito. I try to make him feel like my friend, but I do not speak Spanish. "Hello," I say real loud because when someone does not understand you, you talk real loud. It helps.

He nods at me. He understands so I scream real loud in his ear, "It is nice to meet you, but I do not want to shake your hand please."

Yelling at Juanito works because he does not try to shake my hand.

Carson

Today I am going to try to sit again with my old friend, Brett. He just forgot me is all. It has been a long time since we were best friends in third grade and played everyday on the playground. He used to be Spiderman, and I was Batman.

He must remember me because he sits down beside me today. I say, "What's up Spiderman?"

Brett gets up and moves. He does not say anything. He just gets up and moves.

Does my breath stink? I do the trick where you breathe in your cupped hand and sniff it. My breath does stink. That must be it. I gotta chew more gum. I will sneak some in when that nosy Mrs. Branson is looking the other way and yelling at another kid.

Mia

Awww. My mom packed the same surprise today. Sour cream and onion chips. Has she lost her mind? I can't eat this mess.

Where is that stupid Miss Bennett? I don't see her anywhere. This is all her fault. I bet she told my mom to pack something different. Miss Bennett needs to mind her own business. I hate her so bad. Even more than I did yesterday. My hate for her is as big as this room. No, bigger. Bigger than the whole, wide world.

Maddie

Day two of The Round Table and everyone in the cafeteria, but this table, looks like they are having the time of their lives. The cute boy, Josh, is sitting closer today, but he is not saying a word. I think he is mad about something because he gets mad easy. I once saw him punch a locker.

Just when I get up the nerve to say something to him, Timmy, the boy who told me my hands were dirty yesterday, announces to the whole table, "Somebody hurt my best friend Josh's feelings, and he does not want to talk about it".

Josh slides his chair back from the table, gets up, and walks out. I think he is mad. He looks like he is looking for something or somebody to punch.

Brett

Josh has enough sense not to eat with this bunch of freaks. I make fun of him anyway after he goes because it is fun to make fun of other people.

"Whew," I say, "I thought he would never leave. Now, maybe we can eat our lunch."

"What?" asks the girl with way too much eye makeup on. Her name is Maddie, but I'm gonna call her Racoon Girl.

"I said that I am glad Gross Josh is gone. He stinks like an old wet dog who has pooped on itself. How are we supposed to eat our lunch with that stinky dog at the table?"

"That is not polite," says the weirdo called Timmy. What an idiot name. Timmy.

"I never said I was polite, stupid," I say back.

"That is good because you have bad manners. You need a behavior plan. You are rude to my best friend, Josh. It is inappropriate."

I think about smashing his face, but I know I can't because I will never get back on the team, so I say instead, "Well, your friend stinks. Ask these girls. They know. Right?

Racoon Girl says, "Josh doesn't stink. Not anymore."

"Once you are the stinky kid, you are always the stinky kid," I say. "Right? Shoshone?"

Shoshone

I listen, and I think about what I say before I say it because Brett is so cute. But, I say it anyway. I say what should have been said to Brett a long time ago - "Shut up, dude. Not cool."

Timmy says, "Shut up is not nice. You might need a behavior plan too, Shoshone."

"You are probably right, Timmy."

Then I turn to Mia who is playing with her lunch again and say, "If you are not going to eat those chips, can I have them? Sour cream and onion are my favorite."

Mia stops moving her lunch around and hands them over.

Juanito

* No me gusta Brett. él es muy antipático. ¿Y dónde está señora Bennett hoy? Pienso que me quiero ir a otra mesa

* I do not like Brett. He is not nice. And where is Miss Bennett today? I think I might want to move my table. 

Author's Note - My nickname in first grade was Butterball. I told anyone who asked me that was my name. I always wondered why adults would smile like I had just told them a joke. I didn't know that "Butterball" was not a term of endearment until another kid told me what it meant.

Has anyone else out there ever had a hurtful nickname?