,haulingbackpacksoveroneshoulder,,myclassroomdoor,,,andIknowitisbecauseshespendsallhertimeathometryingnottogetnoticed,soshewon’tfeelthebruntofherstepfather’,andallthegirlsswoonwhenheandhisblondhairstrutby,butIknowhedoesn’,butIknowofhisdreamstobecomeanastronautandI’,,,andIamalwaysamazedatthewordsthatcomefrommystudents’’schair,asharingsessionattheendofourwriter’sworkshopinwhichstudentsvolunteertosharewhattheyhavewritten.
Wehadanewstudenttotheschool,,withhisdimpledcheeksandbabyface,,whenAlwasfirstintroducedtotheclasstwoweeksearlier,onestudentsaid,“You’’reababy.”Tothat,Alquicklyresponded,“I’mAlBillslington,andIamintheseventhgrade.”Despitehisobviouscourage,’,whenIsmiledandnoddedforhimtoread,,andAlbegantoread.“IfIhadonewish,itwouldbetomeetmydad...”,whohadleftthefamilywhenAlwasababy.
Hesharedtheintimatedetailsofhisstrugglestobetheonlymaninthehouseatsuchayoungage,-gradekidswhoIknewwerepronetojumpataweaknessandtrytocrackajoke,-gradestudentswerelistening,,,tellingofnightmaresatnight,ofneverknowingamansoimportanttohim,,’sfaceandonthefacesofafewothersseatedquietly,,,andtheyaren’,strugglingnowtoreadhislastsentence.“IfIhadonewish,itwouldbetomeetmydad,soIwouldn’t...”Histearswererollingnow,andsowereours,“...soIwouldn’thavetoclosemyeyesinbedeverynightjustwonderingwhathelookslike.”Withoutanycuefromme,.
