(11 of 26)
Sixteen teenagers in a circle run in place, snap their fingers, clap their hands under their legs as they lift them. Much giggling and groaning. Jokes about Jane Fonda. Stretch exercises on the cafeteria floor of P.S. 1. Julie, the staff leader, wears a sweatshirt reading NAGS HEAD, NORTH CAROLINA. Calls out directions: "Let's do knots." Kids divide into two huddles, all crossing arms, grasping one another. Entangled, they must work their way out by twisting until their knot unravels. "Anita's stuck again." Laughter. Julie: "Double duck-ducks, please." Kids on haunches in one large circle again. Hector, tagged "Goose," has to run outside the circle to tag Felice. Slips and collisions. Howls, exaggerated pain. Circle re-forms. Julie: "Huggy-bear two." Kids embrace in pairs. "Huggy-bear five." Kids embrace in clusters of five. Hector to observer: "Love at first sight." This is an elimination game. Last boy pretends to weep with self-pity, moans, "Rejected." Julie again: "Emotional machines." Kids make instant clusters, constructs of their bodies. In a cluster one girl cries; another spanks her; a boy rocks on the floor as he clings to the second girl's leg; another boy pulls that boy's foot. "Too easy," Julie shouts. "Take your risks, ladies and gentlemen. Family machines." A girl begins, "Gimme," and continues repeating the word as at the start of a roundelay. A boy chips in "No," and continues to say "No." Second boy: "It's mine." Second girl: "Will you stop whining?" Third boy: "Shut up." The family machine roars. Applause, whistles, whoops. Circle again. Julie: "Start a feeling." One: "I'm happy." Each follows with own intonation until "I'm happy" goes round once. Another: "I'm so frustrated." Another: "Why do you do this to me?" Julie: "Carlos, don't say it until you feel it." Another feeling starts: "I'm so cool." Another: "I've got chirasma." The whole group: "What?" Boy, confused, repeats, "I've got chirasma." Girl: "You mean you got asthma." Laughter. "You mean you got charisma." Julie: "Let's do it. Keep it moving. Today we've got chirasma."
VI MARIA'S LETTERS
Geraldine:
My father is drunk again, like always, he sat in front of me. He's losing his eyesight with the alcohol. I saw his eyes, all red. He said he couldn't see very well during the day, I almost cried. I wish I wouldn't live with a person like that. Every day for years he always came home drunk, making me hate him. I know he'll soon die and that makes me cry. He gives up on life, he doesn't look for solutions. I remember when I was small he used to hug me. Things are getting worse. I got to get ready before he dies.
Geraldine:
You're not right. I'm angry at you. I know you are the one who told my mother to talk back to my father, the same thing you told me, which I won't do, cause you don't f-----g know what's going on. You know, if my mother gets hurt because of listening to you, you'll get hurt too. Don't come saying things you think is right. My father is different. If you talk back to my father he gets dangerous . . . I f-----g have you and my stupid mother. My mother is acting like a bitch. I feel like punching her out . . . It's your fault. I see you every week and you never do nothing for me. My mother right now is close to my father, listening to him . . . I hope she dies. I hope they both die and I don't know about you.
Geraldine: