Call Me Al

Call Me Al — page 5 — SHAH WALTERS I almost said Then let's wait until next year but kept my mouth shut Besides didn't one of your people say something about how you're supposed to fight against things that are unjust One of my people I asked raising my eyebrows Yeah that guy in the pajamas You know who talked about nonviolent protest Zach said Guy in pajamas wait do you mean Mahatma Gandhi Yeah that's the dude Gandhi along with Martin Luther King Malcolm X and Thomas Jefferson had been part of a social studies unit our class worked on I frowned First off he's from India and my family is from Pakistan Isn't that sort of the same No of course not I exclaimed Second those pajamas are traditional South Asian dress And third he was talking about freeing his country from colonial rule not going out to lunch He could have done both That guy seriously looked like he needed a couple of good meals in him He actually stopped eating as part of his nonviolent protest I explained as patiently as I could That's probably why he was so skinny We stopped just outside the door to the office Darius Raj and Ryan were still standing there at the counter I knew them but they were more Zach's friends than mine Zach took me by the arm and steered me over to the side and 2

Call Me Al — page 6 — CALL ME AL around the corner to where we couldn't see them and more important the secretary couldn't see us We want to give them some space so Mrs. Baker doesn't connect us all going together Zach explained I was prepared to give them as much time as needed It meant less time away and less time to get caught Besides what's the worst that could happen if we did get caught Zach asked We might get a detention two at most I sighed I was thinking more like being grounded for life You know how strict my parents can be I know they're tough but have they ever grounded you for life before he asked I shook my head That was because I had never really done something this wrong Really I hardly did anything that was wrong I followed the rules and did what I was supposed to do It was easier that way We've been doing this once a week for a month and we haven't gotten caught he said Besides aren't you the one who spent half of last week trying to convince me to bring you along the next time we went I sighed Well I guess Zach had been my friend for years He and his mother lived in the same building we did I'd known him since we were four or five hanging around in the playground Then we were in the same elementary school and now in the same homeroom class for the past three years here at Camilla Road Middle School We always ate lunch together except for the 3

Call Me Al — page 7 — SHAH WALTERS days when he went over to the mall When I stayed at school during lunch and Zach was gone I felt like a loser like I was being left out I was sure they were having more fun there than I was eating at school Are you sure the rest of the guys are okay with me coming I asked Why wouldn't they be They're not just my friends I was friendly with them and sometimes we played football football or soccer or basketball together at recess but they weren't really my friends They weren't even in our class In a school this big you couldn't really be friends with everybody I couldn't even recognize everybody We heard the office door open and Zach peeked around the corner Okay they're gone Let me go first and then you come after I'll wait for you outside by the crosswalk Zach disappeared leaving me alone Well alone along with dozens of other people still flowing by With Zach gone this would be the perfect time for me to just turn around and head back to eat and I couldn't do that What would Zach think about me if I did that I looked around the corner just as Zach came out He gave me a nod of the head and a look that said no problem Then again he always looked confident even when he had no right to be I waited until he went out through the front door I took a big breath steadied myself and then pushed the door open and entered the office There were a few kids sitting on the chairs waiting for something or someone I walked up to the counter Can I help you Mrs. Baker asked 4

Call Me Al — page 8 — CALL ME AL Yes ma'am sorry to trouble you but I forgot my lunch at home that was really careless of me and I need to go home to eat and my mother is home so- If you like we can provide you with something she said We have bologna sandwiches Um is it halal I don't think so Sorry I should have figured that out by looking at you She smiled patronizingly We also have jam sandwiches I'm allergic to jam I think I was such a bad liar She laughed Allergic I wouldn't eat them either What's your name Khan Al Khan You're from Ms. McIntosh's class It's Ali Khan right Yes But I just go by Al I had a terrible thought that she was going to phone my mother or at least check with my teacher who might then check with my mother and Print your name here Ali she said as she pushed the sign out sheet across the counter There was a pen attached to the clipboard by a piece of string I took it and wrote my name my actual name right beneath Zach's Sign in when you arrive back and don't be late Do you understand Yes ma'am I turned and left the office I knew it wasn't a bank robbery but it felt like I was getting away with something pretty bad 5

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