Green Tea Sensei passes out small treats to the first year teachers. They are individually wrapped crunchy granola bars with frosted French writing up the side. We catch her elbow as she places them on our desks. What are they for?
“You know Kana,” she says, “she was using her cell phone in class. These are from her mother.”
“Her mother sent sweets?”
“Kana lost her phone for one week and her mother came to pick it up. These are for Kana’s everyday badness. Don’t you agree?”
Praju and I look at each other. “She is a little loud,” I say finally.
“She doesn’t try hard,” Green Tea Sensei says.
I say, “she’s really a smart girl.”
Green Tea Sensei nods sagely. “It is her mother’s apology,” she says, holding up the sweet. “For the cell phone and being a bad girl.”
