After the Death of Anna Gonzales (9781466859524)
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Authors: Terri Fields
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Contents
Ms. Standring, Attendance Secretary
Andrew Stevenson, Security Guard
  Â
To Life
  Â
With love for those
who make my life special:
Mom, Rick, Lori, Larry, and Jeff
  Â
And with gratitude for
excellent manuscript advice from
Erin Murphy, Christy Ottaviano,
and Rick and Jeff Fields
Lisa McNair
I can feel
The whispering of the hallway walls
Growing louder as the groups gather.
Each clique adding its morning input.
“Did you hear?”
  Â
“Who told you?”
“Do you think it's really true?”
New at this school,
I stand alone.
Watching â¦
A group of girls plot
For Homecoming only days away.
“He might ask⦔
  Â
“Try to run into him.”
    Â
“No one is wearing purple.”
“But if Julio goes with Gina, then⦔
Seeing â¦
A brown-eyed boy aim a slight nod and slow smile
At a green-eyed girl.
Who seems not to see him but somehow moves closer.
“Hey.”
  Â
“Hey yourself.”
Hearing â¦
A boy beg for finished algebra homework to copy.
Hoping someone will save him.
“No time to do it.”
  Â
“Impossible anyway.”
“Teacher's a witch.”
My first week at this school.
Seeing but not really being seen.
Trying to figure out how I will fit in.
Listening to the rhythms of this new place.
Already I am able to pick up some familiar refrains.
Yet sandwiched among this morning's murmurs
Today's hallway hints at something more horrible.
“I heard⦔
  Â
“Who was it?”
“How'd she do it?”
  Â
“Wonder if it hurt?”
“Anyone know why?”
The gossip gets grabbed by Senior Square.
“Found out it was just some freshman.”
  Â
“Did she leave a note?”
“Don't know.”
  Â
“Probably not true.”
“Stupid.”
“I think about it once in⦔
The blaring of the bell.
   Lockers slam.
   Students scatter.
And I start another day at this new school ⦠wondering.
Principal Barron
Thirty years in education.
I've broken up fights.
Fired a teacher.
Failed a student.
But not this.
This is too much to ask.
“Volleyball practice has been moved to 5:00
P.M.
   The chess club will meet today in
     Mr. Malkin's room.”
Thirty years in education.
I've learned school law.
Listened to angry parents.
Located lost school buses.
But not this.
This is too much to ask.
“Congratulations to the JV football team on last
   night's 14â0 win against the Raiders.
     Student Council will be selling spirit T-shirts
       during both lunch hours all week.”
To make a difference.
To better kids' lives.
That was why I went into education.
So how does this happen?
How do I â¦
“Mr. Barron, announcements are almost over.
   Do you still have a special?”
I trudge toward the camera.
“And now for a special from our principal.”
Words caught in unwilling voice.
“I am sorry to tell you of the death
   of one of our students.”
Must continue.
Rumors always worse than truth.
“Anna Gonzales took her life last night.
Our sympathies to her family and friends.
   Grief counselors will be available all day.”
Robotlike move off camera.
As a chirpy voice concludes,
“And those are today's announcements.
   Have a nice day.”
Damon Reingold
The game doesn't always go your way.
I know.
You can go to every practice
Even when your shoulder aches
   Your ankle throbs
   Your homework waits.
You can do 100 hand-offs
   1,000 free throws
   10,000 reps
And still sit on the bench
   While
You watch Darrith Evans
   Slack off
   Skip practice
   Showboat for Debbie
And still be part of the
   Starting five.
The game doesn't always go your way.
   Forget fair.
   Feel forgotten.
But damn it, Anna,
     You don't stop playing.
Manuel Ramirez
I'm on my way to class.
Tardy bell hasn't even rung.
When Mrs. Bernstein, the scholarship aide,
Stops me and calls me into her office.
“Manuel,” she says, “do you think of yourself as mature?”
   “I guess⦔
“Do you think of yourself as intelligent?”
   I shrugâ“My grades are pretty good.”
“Do you think you're a good representative of this school?”
   I have no idea what she's getting at.
“Well, we do,” she continues.
School announcements start.
Mrs. Bernstein turns them off.
“What I'm trying to tell you is
That's why the faculty submitted your name
For the National Future Leader Award.”
   “The what?” I ask.
“Remember I asked you for your government essay?
We submitted it and five faculty recommendations.
I didn't say anything to you because
We've never had a winner here before â¦
“But, Manuel, you won!” she says.
“You're going to Washington, D.C., for a whole week, all expenses paid.”
   “Wow!” I manage to croak.
   I've never even been out of this city before.
“Congratulations!” She smiles and hands me a stack of papers.
In a daze, I walk into my first-hour class,
Put the pass on Mrs. Johnson's desk,
And feel my face flaunting an ever-growing grin
As I begin what has already been
The best day of my life.
Kathleen Hays
My brother was seven
When they told us the bad news:
It was a tumor
That had bloomed in his body
Like a weed.
Seven surgeries, and still he smiled.
We had his eighth birthday party in the hospital.
He said he could feel that he was almost well.
And we celebrated.
At nine, they said new cells had sprouted.
The chemo was strong.
The cancer was stronger.
But ⦠in spite of the pills and the pain,
In spite of the surgeries and suffering,
He chose life.
And you, Anna, who had health,
Chose death.
How could you?
Jason Foley
“Life's rough, and then you die.”
That's what the sign above the restaurant sink
Says in big red letters.
Only there's a grease spot that covers the
i.
I work kitchen clean-up
Illegally because I'm too young,
But they pay me in cash
And I hide most of it from my dad
So he won't drink it away.
It took me seventeen days and three hours
To earn enough
For my fine new shoes.
But they were definitely worth it.
I don't know who stole 'emâyet.
But I will.
Believe it.
And when I do,
I'll take care of things.
Know it.
Meanwhile, I work and watch the big red letters
That say
“Life's rough, and then you die,”
And I think,
Not me.
   Not yet.
Francine Bradishio
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
I will not talk when the teacher is talking.
My wrist hurts.
My thumb is numb.
And the pain in my fingers is fierce.
God ⦠I still have 434 sentences to do before fourth hour.
When Mrs. Ebert assigned them yesterday,
She said, “I hope this teaches you a lesson.”
And it has.
There's no way I'm getting in trouble for talking in English again.
As soon as I get to class today, I'm going straight to sleep.
Ricky Stevens
Me.
The one
