Chapter 1: School Begins
Mrs. Wilson: “Would you read next, Emiliano?”
Emiliano: “What book, Ms. Wilson?” The class snickered.
Mrs. Wilson: “Your Social Studies book, Emiliano.”
Emiliano started looking through his desk for the right book.
Mrs. Wilson: “Hurry please. We’re waiting!”
Emiliano: “What page?” The class laughed again.
Mrs. Wilson: “What page! Why, I never . . . page 61, Emiliano.”
Emiliano: “The bumblebee makes honey by going from flower to . . . “
The whole class exclaimed in unison: “WHAT!!!”
Mrs. Wilson: “What did you say?”
Emiliano: “The bumblebee . . . “
Stevie: “He’s got the wrong book, Mrs. Wilson. He’s got his Science book!”
The class laughed so hard Tommie Bakerfield fell out of his chair backwards and banged his knee. “Ow!” yelled Tommie. The class kept laughing.
Mrs. Wilson: “You see what you’ve done, Emiliano? You’ve upset the whole class and ruined our Social Studies reading. All because you weren’t paying attention. I want you to miss recess today. When the other children play, you will stand by the green bench by the basketball pole near the fence. Do you understand me?” Mrs. Wilson asked.
“Yes, ma’am”, Emiliano said meekly.
He didn’t know much English and his parents spoke Spanish at home but he knew he was in trouble. He would have to miss another recess because of his daydreaming.
Mrs. Wilson: “Edward, would you read, please?”
Edward: “Yes, Mrs. Wilson. The United States has a birthday just like you do. It is July 4, 1776. That was the year our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. This document declared that the thirteen American colonies should be free of England. The men who signed it . . .”
Edward’s reading was interrupted by the school bell ringing. It was the loudest bell in the world. You could hear it for blocks away from the school. When it rang like this at 10:00 in the morning, it meant only one thing: it was time for Recess.
Mrs. Wilson frowned to herself. She had hoped to get more of the Social Studies lesson read before recess but now there was nothing else she could do. No student she ever taught would give up Recess for more school work! She sighed and put her book down.
“Everyone may go to recess—except Emiliano, who will miss his.”
“Yea!” said the class.
“You may go—quietly, please”, said Mrs. Wilson.
The class left quietly in single file. They were sad for Emiliano but happy for themselves. They didn’t want Mrs. Wilson to make them miss their recess just because they left the room noisily. That happened last week and it was no fun sitting 15 minutes with nothing to do while listening to the shouts of glee of the other kids playing outside.
Emiliano left, too. He had to go stand by the green bench.
Mrs. Wilson sat down at her desk. She was thinking about Emiliano. She knew that he was a bright boy. She knew that he spoke Spanish at home. But what could she do to curb his daydreaming? She sighed. He was such a sweet boy. She was sure that he was not making problems for her on purpose. But only if he didn’t daydream so much!
Chapter 2: A Lost Dog
Emiliano stood by the bench used for children who misbehaved during school-time. He stood here two or three times a week because he was always daydreaming in class and always missing what Mrs. Wilson was saying.
She must have told the class to open their Social Studies book to page 61, Emiliano thought to himself. But he hadn’t heard her. And now here he was again: standing on the playground for fifteen minutes and not allowed to run or skip or climb or kick or anything.
He watched the other children at play. He wasn’t jealous, not really. He liked to play games, especially baseball. He also liked to play by himself. It gave him time to think his own private thoughts. It gave him time to daydream, to imagine himself in the middle of a Great Adventure. That was as good as playing baseball or running foot races—well, almost as good.
His mother said he had the “soul of a poet”. He wasn’t sure what that meant but his mom always smiled and gave him a hug when she said it so it probably meant something good.
He loved to daydream! He couldn’t help that. He tried hard to remember what he was daydreaming about when Mrs. Wilson called on him to read. Something about a yellow bumblebee . . . no, that was his Science book. Oh yes!
He dreamed of being on an airplane, flying over the blue water like a bird, going far away on a great adventure! To an unknown land, full of people with strange customs and talking a language he didn’t even understand!
His eyes got a dreamy, distant look in them. He swayed softly to and fro. The sun was shining, white clouds floated by above his head, and the breeze was frisky and playful.
The children were laughing and shouting on all sides of him but his daydreaming mind began to slip away from where he was and take him to a new land, a place where he had never set foot. He saw beautiful gardens and high round bridges that spanned ponds of large goldfish. He would . . . he heard a dog barking.
Emiliano looked around him. He spotted a little puppy, light-brown in color with a small white star on its chest. It was Conchita, the Chihuahua belonging to his cousin Julio!
Julio lived many blocks from the school. How did Conchita get to school? Perhaps Julio brought her or Conchita followed him without Julio knowing it.
Then suddenly Emiliano remembered something else. Julio didn’t come to school today at all because he was sick with the measles!
Emiliano looked at Conchita who was sniffing at the base of the olive tree that was directly behind the green bench. He walked over to the puppy to get a closer look and to make sure it was Conchita. He checked the collar—“C-O-N-C-H-I-T-A”. It was!
How would the puppy ever get home again? Emiliano waited in the shade by the tree holding Conchita. The bell rang and all the kids lined up to go inside their classrooms.
One by one each teacher came and got their students. Mrs. Wilson came outside and made sure the class was standing in a straight line. Then she turned and went inside with all the students following her in single file—all but Emiliano.
What was he to do? Take the puppy to Mrs. Wilson? She would only get mad at him. Take the dog to the office? He knew no dogs were allowed at school.
He would get in trouble again. He did not know enough English to explain to them what really happened. There would be more disgrace for his family.
Suddenly, he made up his mind—he would take Conchita home!
Chapter 3: The Bus Ride
Emiliano left the school-ground. When he got to the first big street, which was King Street, he looked carefully to both left and right before crossing. He did not want anything bad to happen to Conchita. His cousin Julio would never forgive him!
He walked down Maple Street for four blocks until he came to Chestnut. Julio’s house was just one block west on Chestnut. Then Emiliano could run back to school and make up an excuse as to why he was late. He would be punished but it would be worth it.
But when Emiliano got to Julio’s house he found out from Julio’s big brother that Julio was at his grandmother’s house—clear across town! Emiliano wasn’t sure what to do. Go back to school? Go to the house of Julio’s grandmother?
In Spanish he asked Julio’s big brother for directions. If Julio was sick, he needed Conchita to cheer him up!
He didn’t really like school or Mrs. Wilson, Emiliano told himself. He could hear the kids laughing at him today although he had not done or said anything funny. The cruel laughter still rang loudly in his ears.
He repeated the directions back to Julio’s big brother and then thanked him. He walked to the bus stop on Chestnut. He was going to take Conchita back to Julio!
He got on the Number 8 bus and asked for a transfer. At Main Street he got off and waited for another bus. He had to wait a long time. Finally, the Number 26 bus arrived.
Emiliano knew that this bus would take him to the right street, the one where Julio’s grandmother lived. Lunch Hour would be over by the time he got back to school. He would have to miss lunch. He found a few crackers in his pocket which he shared with the puppy.
He hid Conchita inside his jacket. Conchita was a good puppy and didn’t bark. In the back of the bus, Emiliano took Conchita out so he could poke his nose out the window.
Conchita was a puppy but with good manners. He looked at people and sniffed the air but he didn’t make any noise.
Emiliano sat back and relaxed. The bus ride would take at least ten minutes. He smiled to himself. Maybe he was having an adventure after all! He started dreaming about a safari in Africa. He saw zebras and giraffes and lions.
He forgot to look for the right street. The bus ride went on and on. What was taking so long? Emiliano looked out the window and was startled by what he saw. He was all the way downtown—he had gone too far!
He dashed off the bus so fast he forgot to ask the bus driver where he was!
Ch. 4: The Taxi Cab Ride
Banks, stores, tall buildings surrounded him. Now he was lost and hungry. But he had money in his pocket–$10.00 that his uncle had given him for his birthday. He could buy food from a sidewalk vendor. Then a better idea came to him. He saw a taxicab and raised his arm and waved it around in the air, the way his uncle did.
The taxi stopped right by the curb where Emiliano was standing, still holding Conchita.
“Where to, kid?” the taxi cab driver asked.
“La casa de la abuelita de Julio!” shouted Emiliano.
“What!” asked the driver. Emiliano thought a second. “To the casa of Julio’s grandmother!” yelled Emiliano.
“What street?” shouted the driver.
“San Fernando Drive!” yelled Emiliano.
“Gotcha! Hop in, kid! We’re off!” shouted the driver, whose name was Paul. He pulled carefully out into traffic, headed in the right direction.
A taxi was much faster than a bus, Emiliano thought to himself. With luck, they could be at the home of Julio’s Grandmother in five minutes. Emiliano sat back and relaxed. He laughed. He played with the puppy and pulled its ears.
Conchita would get back safely to Julio. Mrs. Wilson wouldn’t even miss him at school. He’d be back after lunch in time for . . .
Suddenly the taxi stopped. Two men with bags and suitcases got into the cab, shouting in Japanese and English and waving money at Paul.
“Airport! Airport! It’s big deal! Hurry! No time to explain! Hurry!”
“Hang on, kid!” Paul yelled, as he swung a sharp left turn and headed for the airport.
“Oh no!” cried Emiliano. But secretly he was glad and Conchita was happy too. This was the kind of adventure he was hoping for! He would get to see the Airport!
Conchita barked and sniffed the new passengers. One of the men scratched Conchita behind his ears and talked to the puppy in Japanese. Conchita wagged his tail.
Emiliano had an idea. He could tell Mrs. Wilson tomorrow that he got sick during Recess and went home. He could say he didn’t understand the rule about going to the Nurse. Mrs. Wilson probably wouldn’t even mind. She would explain the rule to him in English and he would promise to remember—for next time!
Ch. 5: The Airport
As soon as the taxi got to the airport, the Japanese men got out. One of them paid Paul the money they owed him for the ride. The other one looked right at Emiliano.
“You! Help me carry bags! $20.00! Okay?”
“Sure!” said Emiliano. He grabbed a suitcase in one hand and held Conchita with the other.
He followed the men inside the airport. At the search gate one of them waved at the guards.
“Kid help me carry bag on plane! He come right back!”
Emiliano smiled and his dark eyes—his poet’s eyes—danced for joy. This was to be his first time on a plane—first time for Conchita, too!
He walked down the aisle of the plane behind the Japanese men. The first one found his seat and sat down. The second man opened the overhead bin. Emiliano helped him put his bag in the bin. The Japanese man gave him $20.00 and thanked Emiliano five times over and shook his hand and bowed and waved goodbye and sat down next to his friend. Emiliano smiled and bowed and shook hands and waved goodbye.
Ch. 6: Locked in the Bathroom!
Emiliano looked at the puppy. Conchita looked thirsty and Emiliano needed to use the bathroom. He saw a bathroom at the back of the plane. He walked down the aisle towards the bathroom and opened the door. It was so small he could hardly believe his eyes!
He squeezed inside and locked the door. He got a paper cup and filled it with water from the sink. He sat down and let Conchita drink water from the cup. He heard the Captain’s voice over the loudspeaker. Then a woman started talking. She said it was time for visitors to get off the plane!
Emiliano tried to open the door. It wouldn’t open! He tried again—it was stuck! The lock was jammed. Conchita looked at him as though to ask: is something wrong? Emiliano began to panic. Then he heard a LOUD noise like 1,000 cars firing up all at the same time. He was in big trouble now!
The Captain started the engines and the plane began to move—slowly at first and then faster and faster down the runway. Suddenly the plane was airborne—up in the sky like a bird!
Emiliano–who was supposed to be standing by the green bench on the playground during Recess—was on his way to Japan!
Ch. 7: Home to the Playground
It took Emiliano ten minutes to figure out that the door wasn’t stuck. He hadn’t unlocked a bolt beneath the door knob. Just then a Stewardess knocked on the door:
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am”, Emiliano answered. “The door no open.”
With her help, he got the door open and he finally got out of the bathroom.
He walked down the aisle, holding Conchita. He saw an empty seat and sat down. When he got to Japan he would tell the people at the airport the truth. He hoped they spoke English or at least Spanish!
They would understand and not punish a little kid but send him home on another airplane. Emiliano crossed his fingers for luck—he sure hoped so! At least Conchita was happy. She wagged her tailed and licked his face with puppy kisses.
The Stewardess brought Conchita a little bowl of milk and some food for Emiliano. He watched the movie and looked at the clouds out the window. He got sleepy and fell asleep. He was dreaming—about zebras and giraffes and lions in Africa again. One of the lions looked a little like Conchita . . .
The next day, Emiliano finally got back to school. He had crossed the huge Pacific Ocean a second time in another airplane. He arrived at the airport early in the morning. He took Conchita home to Julio who said “Thank you Emiliano!”
Then Emiliano went to school. When he arrived it was 10:00. It was time for morning recess. How could he ever hope to explain what happened to him? He knew he was in Big Trouble. Mrs. Wilson would never believe his story!
He stood by the bench wondering what to do. The school bell rang and the kids lined up to go in. Uh-oh! He saw Mrs. Wilson walking toward him. She stood in front of him and put both her hands on his shoulders. She looked him right in the eyes.
“I forgot about you, Emiliano. Have you learned your lesson? Let’s go back to class together.”
He walked by her side. He had been gone all that time and she hadn’t missed him! Maybe he wasn’t in such big trouble after all? And he promised himself not to daydream so much—now that he had gone on a real adventure!
He looked up at Mrs. Wilson and noticed that she had kind brown eyes. She looked down at him and smiled. He took her hand walked back to the classroom with her. Maybe fourth grade wasn’t going to be so bad after all!
Beautiful Story!