Schooled

When Mrs. Donnelly checks in with Mr. Kasigi to see how Capricorn is doing in school, she finds out that Capricorn has been made eighth-grade president. She does not understand how someone brand new to the school could win an election, so Sophie explains it to her: “Duh–eighth grade president isn’t an honor, Mother. It’s like being elected village idiot” (45).

Sophie admits that when she was in middle school, she did nothing to stop her eighth-grade president, Caitlin Tortolo, from being tormented, until Caitlin finally left school due to a nervous breakdown. According to Sophie, “If you don’t go along with the gag, you’re next” (46).As concerned as Mrs. Donnelly is for Capricorn, she still thinks that a regular middle school, “nasty and merciless as it could be,” (47) beats Garland Farm.

Home life is not much better than school. Sophie takes offense at everything that Capricorn does, especially his early-morning Tai Chi exercises on the front lawn. Finally, she dumps a wastebasket of water on him from an upstairs window. Mrs. Donnelly tries to comfort Capricorn, telling him that it’s not about him. Sophie’s father has been breaking promises to Sophie on a regular basis, including saying that he’ll take her out for driving lessons and then not doing so.