Brown thought that was pretty funny.īut now the whole class waits quietly. Yesterday, he wrote NO HOMEWORK TONIGHT in big block letters above the date on the board, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1960. Brown will be all confused and let us out for recess early.

He does stuff like changing the hands on the clock so that Mrs. Usually when our teacher leaves the room, Charlie Price, the class clown, acts up. Brown comes forward from the back of the room and stands talking to the principal for a minute before she follows him out into the hall, where Tía Laura is standing. When I ask questions, he replies with “Children should be seen, not heard” instead of his usual “Curiosity is a sign of intelligence.” But lately, Papi looks pretty worried himself. Papi likes to joke that if there were ever an Olympic event for worrying, the Dominican Republic would win with his sister on the team. But then, Tía Laura always looks nervous. I catch a glimpse of our principal, and behind him, Carla’s mother, Tía Laura, looking very nervous.

Something allowed in a story that isn’t so in real life. Brown responds, casting a disapproving look around. I hate it when the American kids make fun of the way we speak English. Lots of classmates snicker, even some Dominicans. “United Estates! United Estates!” somebody in the back row mimics. “Why the Indians call it the United Estates when there was no United Estates back then, Mrs. “Anita”-she points at me-“I want you to say, ‘Welcome to the United States.’ ”īefore I can mutter my line, Oscar Mancini raises his hand. Even I know the pioneers come after the Pilgrims. Brown motions toward where Joey Farland and Charlie Price stand with their toy rifles and the Davy Crockett hats they’ve talked Mrs. “Okay, Indians, come forward and greet the Pilgrims.” Mrs. She hands us each a headband with a feather sticking up like one rabbit ear. Brown always gives the not-so-good parts to those of us in class who are Dominicans. Carla and I are to play the parts of two Indians welcoming the Pilgrims. My cousin, Carla, sits in the seat in front of me, waving her arm. Some of the American students have been complaining that it doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving when it’s as hot as the Fourth of July. Outside the window, the palm trees are absolutely still. Although the Pilgrims never came to the Dominican Republic, we are attending the American school, so we have to celebrate American holidays. We are preparing skits for Thanksgiving, two weeks away. The Eraser in the Shape of the Dominican Republic One - The Eraser in the Shape of the Dominican Republic

Before we were free by julia alvarez