Whatever Happened to Miss Herbermen's Class?

By Jenifer R. Sabb

Whatever Happened to Miss Herbermen's Class?

“–Your class? She must be insane in her brain.”

Miss Herbermen, Wendy St. John’s teacher, decided to invite her whole fifth-grade class to an important event—but Roberto (Wendy’s friend) and Wanda (Wendy’s sister) think inviting her class is a crazy thing for Miss Herbermen to do. Wanda and Roberto think Miss Herbermen needs to take a long vacation from her class, instead.

How does Wendy (a Christian girl) survive Della Thompson, the class bully, who wants to make her miserable? How does she help Roberto, her troubled neighbor, who has a crush on her? What happens when she invites her class to her church, and they take her up on the offer? Do they drive her insane before the school year ends, or what?

This book is not sweet. It contains bullying and fistfights, an unwanted kiss attempt, an absent-minded, gung-ho substitute teacher, a hard-nosed, attentive substitute teacher, a hard-headed girl in high-heeled shoes, a teacher’s nervous breakdown and repentance, Christian bible scriptures, discussions about: death, Christianity, shoplifting, and drug and alcohol usage.

Whatever Happened to Miss Herbermen’s Class takes a look at the life of a preteen girl; her relationship with Christ, her family, her friends, and her classmates. It’s a trip that just might make you cry, make you laugh, and entertain you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jun 23, 2024
• ISBN: 9798385017881

Jenifer R. Sabb

Jenifer R. Sabb is one of eight siblings born to the late Deacon (Sweet Haven church of God) and retired Sargeant Willie O. Mitchell, and the late Minister, Missionary, and Evangelist (Church of God in Christ), Ruth A. Mitchell. Jenifer Sabb received her general education in Willow Oaks, Buckroe, and Phoebus of Hampton, Virginia. She received a degree in Business Management and enjoys writing poetry, songs, and stories.

Book preview

Copyright © 2024 Jenifer R. Sabb.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Title page art by Michelle Angela: Instagram.com/michelleangelap

All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version. Public domain.

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1789-8 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1790-4 (hc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1788-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024901908

WestBow Press rev. date: 06/13/2024

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dear reader,

During the summer, between fourth and fifth grades, I did what children usually do when on vacation from school. That summer, I also felt the pull to begin writing this story. At the time, I planned to have a few pages and illustrations. I thought I would finish in a day or two. Instead, in ninth grade, during some free time in math class, I completed the basis of this book. I hope you enjoy reading Whatever Happened to Miss Herbermen’s Class? I believe one of the best gifts God gives children is the desire to display the creations of their imaginations shamelessly. The result is often something surprising and beautiful.

—Jenifer R. Sabb

CHAPTER 1

S tanding behind Renaldo Johnson, Arnold Jones whispered, Give Ant a wedgie. Pass it down. They and all the other members of Miss Herbermen’s fifth-grade class stood waiting in line at our classroom door that mor ning.

Renaldo, whose nickname (a nickname we had not given him) was Dinky (and no one at school knew why he was called Dinky because he isn’t small or insignificant), looked back at Arnold momentarily and grinned. He turned back to the front of the line and whispered to Carl, Give Ant a wedgie. Pass it down.

Carl (another class member) whispered to Carmen, Give Ant a wedgie. Pass it down. Carmen passed the message along. Arnold (who had started it all) waited anxiously for the command to reach Wendy St. John, the girl who stood in line behind Samuel Tavis, the smallest boy in our school’s fifth grade, whom they’d nick-named Ant. The class saw and heard Miss Herbermen coming up the hall, the heels of her shoes tapping lightly and rhythmically on the floor. Still, Arnold Jones encouraged Leroy, who stood in the line, to pass the message along.

Leroy whispered, Give Ant a wedgie.

With peering eyes, Wendy St. John, who stood between Leroy and Ant, turned her head to peep back at Leroy. No. She turned her head to face the front of the line again.

The giggles and whispers she’d heard behind her changed to the sounds of tongue-sucking and whispers of disappointment. Leroy let it go, but Arnold said, with an aggravated squeal, Wendy, you’re messing up the whole thing...

Wendy didn’t answer Arnold. She just looked straight ahead, towards the front of the line, and waited to walk into the classroom. The look on her face was relaxed yet determined. I don’t want to pull on anyone’s underwear ...

My name is Sandra Wilson. I was in Miss Herbermen’s class that year. Wendy and I became friends later, in Middle School. That’s how I know so much about her thoughts and feelings and some of the thoughts and feelings of those around her.

A boy named Roger said, —Stuck up. You should’ve known Wendy wasn’t going to do it. She thinks she’s better than everyone else. She’s always reading the Bible when she has free time in class. I don’t know what she likes so much about it. She ...

Carl interrupted him. Yeah. Miss Herbermen embarrassed her the other day, too. Do you remember? Della told Cheryl to tell Miss Herbermen that Wendy was reading her Bible in class. Before Cheryl could do it, Miss Herbermen noticed Wendy and said, ‘Put your Bible away, Wendy.’ She’d said it mean, just like that; ‘Put your Bible away, Wendy ...’

Roger said, "OK. We heard you the first time. And we were there when it happened.

Carl said, Wendy had finished all her work, but Ms. Herbermen didn’t care.

Roger said, That was pretty funny.

Dinky Johnson said, She’s pretty, though.

Roger asked, Who—Wendy?

Dinky said, Yeah. That’s who we’re talking about, isn’t it? He fought to keep from smiling, but he couldn’t help it. He turned slightly, away from them.

Arnold said, I like her pretty brown eyes, and started singing.

Dinky said, ... And long, pretty hair.

Carl said, Her skin reminds me of caramel candy.

Arnold stopped singing and said, She likes to go to church.

With a grin, Roger said, Della Thompson can’t stand her.

He looked shocked when Dinky stopped smiling, turned back towards them, sighed, and droned, Roger, you wear that same sky-blue, long-sleeved dress shirt with those same navy-blue slacks twice a week—every week. Then he brushed a little lint from his multi-sectioned loose-leaf binder and said, I wonder how easy it would be to make Wendy my girlfriend.

They were quiet for a minute, but when Dinky looked at them, Arnold said, Are you serious? She’s so holy; she probably wishes blessed oil came in a spray can or a super water gun. Slowly, he turned his head away from Dinky, saying, "She’d probably spray you from your head to your feet and still wouldn’t give you the time of day. Dinky said nothing. With his mouth hanging slightly open, he stared at the back of Arnold’s head for a beat. Arnold noticed. He glanced at Dinky and droned, She’d probably spray-anoint me too."

Carl, who (for a minute) had been looking at a girl in our class named Cheryl Dennison, looked at Roger and said, Cheryl does everything Della Thompson tells her to do. That’s pitiful.

Roger said, Della is a bully. She’s the meanest girl in fifth grade.

Carl said, "Man, she scribbled all over some of the posters in the hallway that say, ‘Stop Bullying Now. If You See It, Report It. The principal was standing right there when she did it, but she did it anyway. She could’ve been suspended, but he only scolded her. She walked away from him, towards our classroom (laughing), to another poster and drew a big X on it. It’s the poster that says, ‘YOU can be a hero. Report any bullying you see,’ and it has a big hand with a finger drawn to look like it’s pointed at us. When finished, she pointed back at the poster and headed up the hall. I heard her make a rhyme about what can happen to a person who snitches on her. Believe me; you don’t want it to happen to you."

The other boys looked at Roger and said, Everybody knows she’s a bully.

Roger asked, Since Cheryl is so afraid of Della and ends up doing everything she tells her to do, why does she always hang around Della?

Carl said, "It seems more like Della picked Cheryl to hang around her. Maybe Cheryl is afraid not to hang around her. If you’re not someone who hangs with Della, you could become someone she bullies ..."

Miss Herbermen, who had been busy at her desk with the Teacher’s Grade Book, suddenly got up and walked to the chalkboard at the front of the classroom. She used a tissue to keep her fingers free of chalk dust while putting chalk into her embossed silver chalk holder. She started writing away and said, Good morning, everyone.

Good morning, Miss Herbermen. All, except one student, got started on the assignment.

Cheryl sat at her desk, the desk beside Della’s desk. She stopped working on the morning assignment, looked at Miss Herbermen, and whispered to Della. It appears she’s fallen behind. She usually has the morning assignment written on the board before she leaves, the day before, and pulls the map down to cover it until the next day.

Della whispered back, Who are you talking to? Cheryl hunched her shoulders and watched Miss Herbermen return to her desk to sit down.

Della, who had not yet started the assignment, sucked her tongue and whispered, Be quiet. I’m working here.

Cheryl whispered, But you’re ... just ... sitting there.

Della Thompson didn’t have a pencil. She whispered, —Since you’re not using it, and snatched the pencil from Cheryl’s hand. She looked at Cheryl as if daring her to do something about it and whispered, You’ve got a supply of pencils. Get another one from your pencil box. I’m using this one. Knowing that she was not giving Cheryl a choice, she looked at her and whispered, OK? Cheryl looked back at her with humiliation in her facial expression. Demanding an answer, Della looked wide-eyed, with raised eyebrows at Cheryl, and whispered a more challenging, OK?

Cheryl sighed and whispered, OK. Instead of telling Miss Herbermen about Della’s bullying, she leaned over, looked inside her desk, pulled out her pencil box, and pinched another number 2 pencil between her pointer finger and thumb. She sighed again, but louder. All she had left were new, unsharpened number 2 pencils.

Della laughed a little when Miss Herbermen said, Cheryl, I’m putting your name on the discipline chart for not having a pencil sharpened before class. I thought I saw you sharpen one. What did you do with it? What were you doing? Sauntering back from the pencil sharpener, Cheryl glanced at Della. Miss Herbermen went back to checking our assignments from the day before.

Della continued working and chuckled a little. She whispered, "You’ve got all those brand-new pencils but no personal pencil sharpener; how dumb."

Ant sat next to Carmen and saw what had just happened to Cheryl. He remembered something that happened a few days earlier and whispered, I let you hold my Reckless Warriors Pandemonium game cards because you said you wanted to see them, Carmen. Why did you sit there and let Della have my cards?

Carmen whispered, "I didn’t wanna let her have them, Ant. Like I told you before, Della said, ‘Let me see them for a minute.’ Then she wouldn’t give them back. Hey, I’m just like everybody else in this school. She’s got a gang. I don’t want her and her gang to start picking on me, beating me up. So, I do what she wants me to do."

That means you’re a slave to her.

Seeming a little offended, Carmen whispered, "Really, Ant? –An enslaved person? Well, that makes two of us, or twenty-something of us, or–"

She bullies everybody except The Hurricane. One day, that girl is going to get exactly what she deserves. She thinks she’s the most gorgeous girl in the fifth grade and probably the whole city. She’s always tossing her blond hair around and batting her blue eyes, but she’s so mean that most boys are afraid to talk to her. Her meanness lessens her beauty.

Roger looked up at the clock in Miss Herbermen’s classroom and said, It’s nine-thirty, time to change classes for reading. Wendy got ready to go to Mrs. Smith’s average-level reading class. Two girls in Miss Herbermen’s class, Karen and Brenda, looked at Della, who was packing to go to reading class.

Karen whispered to Brenda, Della is still reading at a low level. Mrs. Smith told her that if she tried, she could be promoted to average level reading by the end of the year.

Brenda said, I think Della could do it if she would only stop getting upset with Mrs. Smith so much. I couldn’t deal with Della; be in Mrs. Smith’s shoes. Then they looked at Cheryl.

Karen said, Cheryl is in high-level reading class. She always gets an A in everything, not just reading. The new girl, Eartha, said Cheryl is ‘stout.’

Brenda asked, What does ‘stout’ mean?

It means kind of short and a little plump.

Brenda said, And Cheryl is exactly that size. Her skin is yellowish-white, like the color of pancake mix. Her eyes are deep gray.

Cheryl’s hair is black with a few strands of gray, but you can’t tell her anything about it.

"Oh, she’s proud of her gray hair now. Whenever anyone says anything about that gray hair, she says, ‘I got my first strands of gray when I was eight years old. My Mom said gray hair is a sign of wisdom.’ But the truth is, Melanin makes hair whatever color it is. When people get older, the body robs the hair of Melanin. And that’s why it turns gray. She’s not old. So, I don’t know what’s up with her."

Some people are jealous of Cheryl because she’s so smart, and they aren’t ashamed to show it.

I know. Some boys call her a dog. Girls joke about the way she looks and dresses. Then they laugh right in her face ...

I hate to admit it; I first talked badly about her, too, but I tried not to do it so loudly that she could hear me. I don’t think she could hear me. I wasn’t jealous of her, but although I knew nothing about her life beyond what I saw at school, I expressed that I thought she could dress more stylishly. Others either weren’t ashamed to show their jealousy or were cowards. I say cowards because maybe they were taking advantage of the fact that Cheryl was mild-mannered and soft-spoken and probably would’ve never said anything back to us or even asked Miss Herbermen or the principal to do anything about it. I don’t think she even told her parents. It was weird how some people were willing to hurt her feelings to entertain themselves and make themselves feel more vital. Instead, they could have thought about the things they liked about themselves and let those thoughts be enough to give them a good feeling and the self-confidence they wanted. That way, no one had to get hurt.

Reading was over, and we were all back in Miss Herbermen’s classroom. Brenda asked Carmen, What did you bring for Fruit Break?

Carmen said, Mango.

Brenda said, I brought an orange. I peeled it at home.

We lined up at the bathroom doors in the fifth-grade hall. Two girls went into the girls’ bathroom at a time, as did two boys into the boys’. Then we went outside to the playground. Everyone had gone outside except for Della, Cheryl, Wendy, and members of Della’s gang. Miss Herbermen had gone outside with the rest of the class. That day, Wendy stayed inside and read her Bible instead of going outside during Fruit Break. Her Sunday school lesson was about fasting that week. She’d decided (just for that week) to try it from after dinner until lunchtime. Her Sunday school teacher challenged his Sunday school students to give the fast a theme that is personal to each of them. He hadn’t said they had to give it a theme, but he thought it was a good idea since most students were fasting for the first time, and it might help them take it even more personally. Wendy probably thought about a few words of rap by her favorite female Christian rap group; —Boots on the ground. My plate is turned down. By faith, with a fast, God will turn things around.

She decided her theme for the fast would be, Boots on the ground. My plate is turned down. Della looked at Wendy for a few seconds. Then she looked at her gang and said, I see Little Miss Church Lady stayed inside for Fruit Break today. Wendy glanced at them for a second but continued reading. Della lowered her voice and mumbled, "Miss Herbermen has a dental appointment tomorrow. She’ll be leaving school early. We always run over substitute teachers. They can’t tell us what to do. So, let’s get Wendy when Miss Herbermen leaves. She looked again at Wendy, who was still quietly reading her Bible, and said, Come on. Let’s go outside." She headed to the playground, and they followed her. They went to a big tree near the monkey bars.

Roger said, Whenever we have free time, Wendy reads the Bible. She should run away and become a nun or something.

Della said, "I wish she would go somewhere." Then, for no reason, she rolled her eyes at Cheryl. Cheryl, who held her pinky finger up while holding the grape, which she raised to her mouth, paused to gasp.

Roger said, I can’t stand her. I will get that Bible and burn it before her ... to see her lose it.

Della said, "Hmmm. That probably won’t make her lose it. She’s got a cool way about her." She stared across the schoolyard.

Carl said, I’ve noticed that about her; she’s like an angel. She ... Della’s facial expression grew meaner. Slowly, she turned her head to glare at Carl, who suddenly said, Man, she... Yeah, she... She ain’t sweet.

Della said, "OK. Listen up. This is what we’re going to do. Most substitutes are afraid of us anyway—so we’ll start in on Wendy as soon as Miss Herbermen leaves. We’ll push her around to let her know she’s about to get it. I don’t have to explain anything. You know how our first attack goes. The first attack lets the person know we don’t like them. We’ve been talking about it and doing little things to bug her. Now we’re going to act ... for real."

Carl said, We? But he had nothing else to say because Della glared at him again.

The next day started like any other regular school day. Miss Herbermen took attendance, and we went to our reading classes and enjoyed a Fruit Break. Then we sat chattering away, waiting for whatever was next. Miss Herbermen’s voice quieted us when she said, OK, everybody. Please take out your English books and turn to page one hundred twenty-four. We’re going to talk about to-be verbs. The class was filled with the sound of sighing and moaning. Wendy leaned down to reach inside her desk for her English book. Miss Herbermen began, As you all know, in a sentence, a verb comes after the form of being... Her voice had a sound of delight. Her neck seemed to stretch a little longer, making her blond shoulder-length hair seem slightly shorter. Her big blue eyes twinkled with excitement, and the smile on her shell pink lip-gloss-painted lips stretched wider across her face.

Barbara whispered to Brenda, Our teacher is one of the prettiest teachers at our school. Brenda nodded and smiled but kept quiet, her eyes on Miss Herbermen.

Miss Herbermen asked, Leroy, can you name the forms of being for us? From a nearly empty bottle (he had removed the top from the bottle), Leroy patted lotion into the palm of his hand and moisturized the skin on his chocolate-brown elbows.

He answered, No. Now, the smell of cocoa butter filled the area where he sat.

Why not? You can do it. I’ll help you a little bit. –Ready? Is, am ...

Leroy said, Thanks, but no thanks. Miss Herbermen’s voice was quiet, but the look on her face said a lot. She looked disappointed. Later that day, Leroy talked to Eartha, the newest girl in Miss Herbermen’s class. She’d arrived a month before Kyle, whom we’d nicknamed Gopher. I thought I might get the forms of being wrong. The class would’ve laughed at me. You know how Della and Roger are ...

Eartha said, Maybe if you’d tried, you would have named them right. Do you know the answer?

I think I can name the forms of being.

"Well, all right then. Just open your English book and look at them. Then you’ll know you can name them. I can name them."

Everyone washed their hands and got their lunches, lunch money, and lunch tickets. We went back to our desks like we did every day. Karen whispered to Roger, What’s The Hurricane doing?

I don’t know, Karen. –Looks like he’s writing something. Although it was Silent Time, when no one should be talking or making any noise, they whispered about a boy in the class named Antonio Strevaguls. We called Antonio The Hurricane because he was the biggest boy at our school and for other reasons. "Karen, I wouldn’t keep looking at him. You know, we all must be careful about what we do and say around him. You never know what might make him angry. He’s legit going to be a giant, too."

Karen said, "—Gonna be?"

Roger said, To me, he looks like a cave boy. Hurricane is the only one around here who’s tougher than Della.

Karen said, "You know, we can’t say that Hurricane is a bully. He doesn’t bother anyone unless they bother him. As you said, he won’t bother you if you’re careful about what you say to him. I don’t understand Ant. He likes to annoy Hurricane. Even though he is the smallest boy in the fifth grade, they’re always against each other. He’s sitting over there right now, looking at Hurricane with an annoying facial expression. —Right now. You know that look he gives The Hurricane, the silly facial expression, the grin that he knows aggravates Hurricane so much."

Mmm hmm. Yes. I’ve seen it.

It’s good that he sits on the other side of the classroom from him.

Come to think of it, Hurricane is probably writing a note to Ant. Yep. There he goes, holding it up so Ant can read it.

Roger squinted his eyes at the note and whispered, He says, Why are you looking at me?"

Karen whispered, Roger, where are your glasses? Now Ant’s writing something back to Hurricane. He’s holding it up so Hurricane can read it. She looked at the note and whispered to Roger, Ant says...something about...he never knew that gorillas are allowed to attend school.

Antonio wrote something insulting back, but Ant wrote something more to him. Soon, Ant wrote, That’s not me. That’s you, and used the same note for everything Antonio wrote. Then he turned the paper over, wrote, That’s you, and used that same note for each of Antonio’s messages. Now he rested his chin on his hand and occasionally glanced at Antonio, looking bored, and lifted the note each time Antonio showed him a note. He patted his mouth and pretended to yawn.

Karen whispered, I don’t know why he does that ‘That’s not me. That’s you,’ stuff to Hurricane. He knows it makes him angry.

Hurricane wrote, What’s the matter? Are you stuck? Is ‘That’s you’ all you can write?

Ant wrote, It’s probably all a gorilla can understand anyway. So, why not? Suddenly, Hurricane was out of his desk. He barreled over to Ant and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

Miss Herbermen called, Antonio! Hurricane let go of Ant’s collar and returned to his desk. As soon as Ant looked at him, Hurricane sent him a warning. With force, he sent his arm and finger forward towards Ant.

Karen whispered, Cheryl said Hurricane can use some Anger Management Therapy.

Roger whispered, What’s that?

Karen whispered back, I’m not sure. I think it’s something that will help calm him down.

Is it a rub, a gel, a deep penetrating therapy? Does it come in a bottle and smell strong, like peppermint or something herbal?

I think you go to the office of someone who’s trained to help you calm down, stretch out on their office couch, and talk to them. They went to college to learn how to do it, to become a doctor for your mind.

Miss Herbermen looked at her watch and said, Line up! And don’t cut in front of anyone in line.

Robert pinched his nose closed and mocked, And don’t cut in front of anyone in line. Then he noticed that Wendy was in line in front of him. He pinched his nose again and fanned his hand in front of his face as if Wendy stank. Ant was in line with his lunch bag. He had food allergies and never bought school lunch. He felt a hand rest on the back of his neck, turned to see that the hand belonged to Hurricane, and hurried to the end of the line to escape him.

He called to Hurricane, You know you broke one of the school’s golden rules, don’t you? Always keep your hands to yourself. You could get in a lot of trouble if you don’t.

Robert and Roger started a food fight in the lunchroom serving line. Miss Herbermen told them to sit at opposite ends of empty first-grade lunch tables. Robert shouted, These hot dogs taste like rubber!

Karen said, I wonder how he knows what rubber tastes like.

Roger said, I’d rather throw this food than eat it! We should protest the cafeteria food! I wish we could go home for lunch ...

Karen mumbled, "Then why not bring lunch from home? Duh."

Fifth graders were always the last to eat lunch daily, and our class was usually the last to leave the cafeteria.

Miss Herbermen said, I’ll be right back. I’m going to check on the substitute for this afternoon, and left us alone.

Ant looked at Hurricane. Hurricane was like, —Eye problem, shrimp?

Ant said, These are my eyes. I can look wherever I want. Hurricane picked up his Styrofoam bowl of corn and tossed it at Ant’s face. The corn got all over Ant, but the bowl hit Carl. Carl picked up his hotdog and aimed at Hurricane while he wasn’t looking. The mustard got all over him, but the hotdog flew out of the bun and landed in Della’s lap.

Della and Hurricane both began saying things like, Who threw that? Somebody’s going to get it!

Carl whispered, Two points with one hotdog. He and Leroy snickered quietly and (secretly) gave each other dap. Della turned her head to look behind her. As soon as she did, peaches and juice splashed onto her face. Someone had been aiming for the back of her head. Too many of us were sitting behind her, and she couldn’t figure out who’d done it. While cleaning herself with napkins and water from her cup, she fussed about it, threw wet napkins at anyone behind her, and let it go. She turned her chair. Now, she could watch more than one area around her. Suddenly, she grabbed a handful of lettuce and cucumber and threw it at Boris, who sat right in front of her. He looked confused, then sad. He’d had nothing to do with the throwing of those peaches. Karen looked at the food all over the tables and said, Look at this big mess. Then she mumbled to Carmen, Miss Herbermen is an irresponsible teacher. She always leaves us alone and goes to the teacher’s lounge and stuff ...

"I know, right? And, instead of making sure everybody goes outside with her, she lets people stay in the classroom during Fruit Break and recess. She knows we’re not supposed to be left alone. Most of the other fifth-grade teachers do it too. There are hardly any assistant teachers at our school and no cafeteria monitors. I heard that people don’t want to work here. They say it’s not worth the money ..."

Miss Herbermen stood in the cafeteria doorway and clapped her hands. Please, everybody, take your trays to the Kitchen window and line up at the door! I have something to tell you.

We dumped the food from our trays at the cafeteria trash barrel and placed them on the kitchen’s receiving window counter. The last one to empty his tray, Arnold paused to lean at the kitchen’s receiving window. He looked at the new, young, pretty cafeteria lady, who was gathering the trays into the kitchen on the other side of the window. She slowed down and looked back at him. He swayed his arm slowly back and forth above the top of the counter and then up high towards the kitchen behind her.

With wrinkles on her forehead, between her eyes, she listened when he said, "I imagine you get tired of looking at all thisss ... stainless steel. He was waiting for her to answer but left the window suddenly when Miss Herbermen called him.

Standing in a line at the cafeteria door, we listened to Miss Herbermen say, I’m going to the dentist. Mr. Kimblem will be your substitute this afternoon. I want all of you to behave yourselves. When I return tomorrow, I want to get a good report from Mr. Kimblem and the other teachers. I’ll reward you for your good behavior. She smiled, appearing as if she was sharing a valuable secret, when she said, By behaving, you will have already rewarded yourselves.

The class answered, Yes, Miss Herbermen. Thank you. People looked at Roger like he was out of his mind when he sang, Thaaaank youuuu!

Even Miss Herbermen glanced at him and told everyone, Don’t thank me before you get it. You must conduct yourselves accordingly first, earn the reward. Della and her gang looked around at each other.

Barbara said, I know, Roger. What’s up with that, Man? You’re all loud and whatnot. Roger grinned and lowered his head bashfully. Barbara glanced at Brenda and said, Weird. Roger stopped grinning. The class flowed out of the cafeteria.

Miss Herbermen’s class chattered noisily except Ant, who sat still and quietly. Suddenly (after noticing that Hurricane was looking at him), with a rapid nervous speech, he asked, Hey, when is that substitute gonna get here?

Carl said, He’s probably not coming. You know, substitutes sometimes change their minds about substituting our class. They don’t want to deal with us and decide not to teach us. Ant looked at Hurricane