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in the classroom, although for whatever reason I still remember my fifth-grade teacher's Yoda poster: “The Force is with you when you
READ.
” It never corrupted me as far as I could tell. Down the hall, Marc Simmons and Jeanne Solloway had all kinds of store-bought stuff on their walls. (Simmons had especially splurged on an American flag motif.)
    This was a colorful border, displayed at the edges of the bulletin boards, not some prominently showcased company ad. I staple-removed my mom's border, flipped it over, and stapled it back with the blank, gray side facing out. It was the first time I was angry.
    Who would be my kids? Everyone else had a set of blue index cards with evaluative paragraphs from the students’ previous teachers.
    On Tuesday, September 2, Mr. Randazzo told me that Adele Hafner had them and she would give the cards to me. Adele was a middle-aged enrichment teacher with a weathered face and grave demeanor. When I asked her if she had the guidance cards, she snapped in her authoritative Minnesotan twang, “Yeah. You'll get them.”
    I didn't. The next day, I passed Adele several times in the hall and she made no mention of the cards. I felt awkward about bringing it up since our brief discussion yesterday had been quite clear. When Adele still did not deliver them the day after, I sought her out again. I walked into a classroom where she was unpacking boxes. “Excuse me, Adele,” I said tentatively, to no acknowledgment. “About the blue cards…”
    â€œMr. Brown, you don't know me well enough to call me a liar. I told you you'd get your blue cards and you'll get them. End of darn story!”
    â€œWhoa, I didn't mean to sound like I was calling you a
liar
…”
    â€œExcept you did. I gave you my word you'd get them and that's that. Sound fair?”
    â€œOkay, but I think there's been a miscommunication. I didn't intend for you—”
    â€œNo miscommunication. Alrighty? Good-bye.”
    Adele and I were supposed to be collaborators. She was scheduled to prep 4-217 (teach a fifty-minute science lesson during my out-of-class work period) every Thursday morning. Recalling Randazzo's speech about “taking care of our own,” I went to his office.
    Mr. R. nodded vigorously as I explained my conflict. “No problem, no problem. There are other issues there. I'll take care of it. Don't worry.”
    An hour later, the rubber-banded cards appeared in my mailbox.
    I later learned that 4-217 had been Mrs. Hafner's room the previous year, and it was not her idea to relinquish it to a fresh-faced college boy while getting switched to a science cluster position in mid-August. Adele Hafner hated my guts for stealing her class. At least I got the cards. They read:
    Lakiya Ray : Very, very slow.Very disrespectful to classmates and adults. Mother makes excuses for her behavior. She does not complete assignments. She gets an attitude 95% of the day. Very difficult child. She cannot get along with any of her classmates.
    Fausto Mason : Fausto has deeply embedded good traits that have a hard time emerging. He is compulsive, impulsive, insultive [
sic
], and challenges authority at every turn. Although he is bright, he has a total lack of control that impedes his maturation (academically and socially). He is a real challenge! Good luck!
    Eric Ruiz : Eric has made minimal improvement this year. He has difficulty focusing, needs help with organization skills. Referred with support of mother; referral went nowhere. Should be referred again. Eric is immature; he needs a great deal of direction.
    Bernard McCants : Extremely temperamental child; has a tendency to be disrespectful to teachers; reading skills are good, but writing skills are poor. Math skills are also poor. Bernard has a knack for creative writing (poetry) and should be encouraged in this area.
    Deloris Barlow : Deloris has potential to be an academically successful student. However, her propensity