The First Day

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The school was fairly small so all the Pre-K, first graders, and second graders were combined. All the third, fourth, and fifth graders were combined.

Peggy sat down on the carpet covered with the alphabet. She sat on the 'P'.

Some kid Peggy didn't recognize but knew from Eliza that no one liked- what was his name? Sam- 'Sam' something... Oh! Samuel Seabury!

Anyway, he was on top of the plastic table talking about how great his best friend George III was while George stood by, chest puffed, boasting.

Angelica came over to Peggy and grabbed her hand.

"C'mon, Peggy! Look at the map on that wall!" Angie pointed at the map. "There's New York!"

Peggy couldn't believe how big the United States was!

"Alright everyone!" a man at the front of the room said. "Come sit on the carpet!"

Peggy sat back down on the 'P' again.

"I am your teacher, Mr. Washington!" the man said. "Let's take a few minutes to introduce ourselves! I am Mr. Washington. I have a wife. I love cherries and I hate liars. Next?"

He called on a kid with a French accent.

"My name is Marie-Joeseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert de Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. But I go by Lafayette," he explained.

The class let out a collective sigh of relief.

"I have a mom and dad, but not a wife-"

Everyone laughed.

"-and I love France, my homeland."
"Very food, Lafayette! Next? Let's keep it moving."

Some boy stood up and started to rap: "Yo, I'm John Laurens in the place to be! I hate liars, hate fakes, and I 'specially hate cheats-
"Ha!" a boy called.
"- those bullies don't want it with me cause I will pop-chicka-pop these cops 'til I'm free!"
"I'm Eliza Schuyler and my sisters Angelica and Peggy are in this class. I'm in second grade. I like the the colors blue and green. I hate cheaters."

Another kid rapped: "Brah brah! I am Hercules Mulligan. Up in it, lovin' it, yes I heard you mother say, 'Come again?' Lock up your toys and your horses. It's hard to catch your breath over four sets of corsets!"

The class kept going until the last person left was Peggy.

"Um..." She fiddled with the hem if her dress. "I'm Angelica and Eliza's younger sister. My favorite color is yellow. My real name is Margarita but I go by Peggy."
"Very good, class!" Mr. Washington said. "Now-"

He was interrupted. The secretary walked in in front of a boy with dark hair and dark eyes.

"Mr. Washington, we have a new student. Alexander? This is your class!"

Peggy CrylerWhere stories live. Discover now