Crimes and Misdemeanors

My roommates and I congregated in our suite's great room and we’ll head out for dinner soon. “Have you ever eaten dog food?” Leong asked Anna. “No,” Anna answered, “it smells like chicken - it’s got chicken in it” “OOO!” Leong pounces, “Busted!!” “What?!” Anna reacts.   “How would you know that then?” Leong asks, doubtfully. “My mom told me!” Anna cries, in self-defense. “She’s a vegetarian too.” “Your mom told you.” Leong said, like a prosecutor raising an eyebrow for the jury. “I just took my last English class,” I report, pony-tailing my hair, “my teacher told me - privately - that my writing destroys.” “Nice,” Lisa says. “Yeah,” I say, smiling and grooming with pride, “I thought that was a ballin’ complement and I’ve been riding that high.” “No doubt,” Anna says and nods. “My English professor..” Leong says, exasperated, “is driving me crazy,” I’ve written three final papers so far and she’s rejected them ALL.” “Huh?” I gasp, “Show me one!” I demand, wiggling gimmie-fingers at her laptop. “Here’s a question,” Lisa asks the room, “What would you change about your childhood?” “I would have never grown up.” Sophy said. “When I was in third grade, in the UK, a girl in my elementary school, was murdered,” I reveal. “What?!” Anna says. “Oh, my GOD!” Lisa gasps. “Spill” Leong demands. “Her name was Kennedy,” I begin, “She was in another class, I didn’t know her but I started to imagine that I’d known her. I’d think of her playing on the swings in a yellow dress, in daydreams and in nightmares. “I can see that,” Leong said. “I was flummoxed, at the time, how a family could lose a little girl and a president.” I added. Anna looked confused. “I was in third grade,” I replied,” what did I know? “Go ON,” Lisa prompts. “We heard that she was walking home and got snatched,” I continued. “Jesus,” Lisa said, shaking her head. “Although I never walked home, I was careful not to be snatched for a while,” I summarized. “I bet,” Anna agreed. “That’s what I’d change,” I said, “Poor Kennedy.” “People suck,” Lisa pronounced, and there was general agreement to *that*.