Fiction
Monticelloby Drew Buxton
Dessie came in first from recess and woke up Ms. Clemson, and she smiled and got her eyelids half-open and asked where they were at in social studies. He told her Indian removal, and she slurred through the lesson. “What can anyone tell me about the war with the Indians?” she asked the class.
“Andrew Jackson fought the Seminoles in Florida. He was president later on,” Dessie said.
“Perfect, Desmond. Yes, Andrew was a president of this United States...” He carried her until the final bell went off at 3:30 p.m. and stayed with her in 107 and did some long division exercises out of the book. She’d forgotten to give out homework again.
By four the bus had left, and no more kids were waiting for their parents to pick them up. Dessie and Ms. Clemson packed u
