Raleigh. She wrote her name on the chalkboard: Mrs. Burke. She said she was from Torrington, which was a town seven miles away. She had on a blue blazer with a shorter skirt than most of our teachers wore, and you could tell she wasn’t used to teaching because her heels were really high. She had to either sit down all day or spend the night soaking her feet. When someone asked her where Mr. Raleigh was, she said she didn’t know, she didn’t know him, but she would very much like someone to volunteer to read his homework assignment. Osborne de la Marin’s hand shot up instantly. He said, “I wrote mine in verse.” “Very original.” She smiled. So Osborne got up and stood there with his long black braid down the back of his red Tommy Hilfiger shirt, and he read his poem. How DARE Mr. Saddam march into Kuwait, Driving up oil prices, something we hate! Incubator babies thrown to the floor? Reason enough to march off to war! Smart bombs sail over dark sands at night, CNN reports are filled with delight!
