A seventh-grade boy
fires bb’s from a sling shot
into the mulling crowd of students
waiting for their buses. He doesn’t care
who he hits, as long as he causes
a vicious sting.
Maybe he’s replaying a video game
in his head, or maybe he is reenacting
the latest school shooting.
I escort him to the front office,
then go back and gather evidence—
more than a dozen brass spheres.
I seal them in an envelope
which I tape to the top of his referral
and give it to the principal.
The next day, Nate is on a two-week suspension
while charges are filed. A few students
view everything as a game. They enjoy showing off
and imitating gangsters they see on TV—
too cool to show remorse.
