We were in the tenth grade.
We had a new teacher.
Ms. Duncan.
Taught French.
Nobody liked her.
Kim Dutra didn’t like her.
I didn’t like her.
Billy Rankin didn’t like her.
Nobody did.
She was prissy. Snooty.
And she had this accent.
Real Southern accent.
She said, LAIR dew tomps.
That’s how she said it.
LAIR dew tomps.
We said it too.
Over and over.
LAIR dew tomps.
LAIR dew tomps.
Kim Dutra would say it.
Then I would say it.
Billy Rankin would say it.
It went on and on.
LAIR dew tomps.
LAIR dew tomps.
We laughed ‘til we cried.
So did Ms. Duncan.
Ran from the classroom.
Third day.
In tears.
LAIR dew tomps.
LAIR dew tomps.
We tortured that woman.
Then we got Mr. Hartford.
Another new teacher.
Nice guy.
We liked him.
We tortured him too.