Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine Read Free Book Online Page B

around us right now.
    How?
    See those two girls over there by the swings?
    I squint where she’s pointing.
    One of them is comforting the other who must be sad or hurt.
    Which is which?
    Mrs. Brook’s head does its turtle jerk. The girl in the red jacket has her arm around the girl in jeans. Right?
    Yes.
    So she’s comforting the girl in the jeans.
    Oh. How can she tell that so fast and easily? It must be why she’s a counselor.
    We watch some other interpersonal skills on the playground. One boy kicks a stone. Mrs. Brook says he is angry because obviously he wanted to tag everyone out but didn’t. I don’t think it’s obvious at all. I think it’s dangerous to kick a stone though. Mrs. Brook says it’s okay to do it just once and look how quickly he rejoined the game isn’t that nice?
    She makes me start guessing what people are thinking which is a stupid game because how am I supposed to know what’s going on inside their heads?
    She points to some girls who are standing in a circle talking and giggling LOUD. They are bent. What do you think they’re feeling?
    Like throwing up?
    She Looks At The Person.
    Well they’re bending over so much it looks like they’re going to throw up.
    Do you usually laugh a lot just before you throw up?
    No. I don’t. But who knows about them?
    Do you really think that’s what they’re about to do?
    I have no idea. I’m not them.
    But if you put yourself in their shoes you can feel what they’re feeling.
    I look at their shoes.
    It’s an expression, she says. What we’re working on Caitlin is empathy.
    Is that like emotion?
    Sort of.
    No thank you. I’m not good with emotion.
    All you need to do is imagine how other people are feeling.
    Why?
    Then you know how to communicate with them.
    What if I don’t want to? Or can’t.
    Listen Caitlin. This is important. If they’re happy you can be happy with them. If someone is very sad you should be quiet with them and maybe try to cheer them up a little bit but not start out all loud and happy because that doesn’t match their emotion.
    You’re not matching my emotion right now.
    Oh? What emotion are you feeling right now?
    Kind of annoyed. And bored.
    She is quiet for a moment. That’s more of an attitude than an emotion. Underneath the attitude how are you feeling?
    Okay I guess.
    Happy?
    I don’t know. Maybe confused.
    She nods. This is difficult. Understanding people and finding friends isn’t easy for anyone.
    It’s harder for me.
    Yes it is.
    Isn’t there an easier way to make friends?
    You can look for children who are by themselves and might like a friend to play with.
    I shake my head. There aren’t any people by themselves. They all have friends.
    They might like to have another friend. And I bet they don’t all have friends. Haven’t you ever seen someone standing alone?
    I shrug. Just one.
    Why don’t you talk to that child?
    Because it’s me and Devon told me I shouldn’t talk to myself. Not in public anyway.
    I think you’re just not seeing them. You have to look at people very carefully.
    I’m not good at that.
    You need to practice.
    I shake my head.
    Why not?
    That’s a LOT of work.
    You can try a little bit at a time.
    I sigh.
    For example. Look at me.
    I do.
    Not that way. Look in my eyes.
    I sigh and fold my arms. Fine. I glance at her eyes. They are black and white and brown. Like Devon’s. I never noticed that before. I’m so surprised that I actually stare instead of looking away.
    Good! That’s very good Caitlin! That’s how you show people you’re interested in them and that you’re listening to them. Can you see how happy my eyes are right now?
    I nod. I’m still staring at her eyes or where her eyes used to be when she turns her head to look where she’s walking. When she turns back I catch the eyes again and keep staring. I’m getting good at this.
    Okay but you don’t have to stare quite so hard or quite so long.
    I close my eyes.
    You can just look away briefly and then come