Pricilla’s breakfast rolls around in her stomach as she waits for the school bus alone. She’s wearing new shoes, new blouse. New purple pom-poms hold her hair back in a tight ponytail that she decided in August would be her hairstyle come fall. Her new backpack sports a pink monkey that she wears with pride as she had to launch a full out campaign to get her Mom to agree to buy it. Consider it Exhibit A – further demonstrating that Mom is hopelessly out of touch. According to Mom, the phrase “monkey on your back” apparently at one point (maybe in Caveman times) was slang for drug addiction. Thinking about drug addiction, makes Pricilla’s hands sweat and turn cold simultaneously. All this new stuff, new friends, new experiences are wearing on her nerves. She stares at the perfect 9/11 blue sky as the school bus rounds the corner. Then she gently directs the new shoes that cramp her toes onto the first step of the bus.