All my true voice is saying right now is âUgh!â
Friday, September 22
Worked hard on my math today, to show Ms. B that Iâm not just average at that, too. When I handed it in, she said, âFor homework Iâd like you to seriously consider running for student council president. Answer due on Monday.â
Sunday, September 24
Been seriously considering running for student council president. Today I ate breakfast thinking about it. Sat in church thinking about it. Walked into Fred Meyer with Mom and Dad and MC to get some teriyaki sauce thinking about it.
Then, as I was standing in aisle 12, I closed my eyes and imagined the New Me as President Cody. I could be great and accomplish many things for the good of Garfield students. Like a longer morning recess. And chocolate milk shakes in the cafeteria. Or maybe soft drinks in the water fountains. Everyone would love it. And theyâd love me, too! And chant my name.
âPresident Cody! President Cody! President Cody!â
Iâd be a superstar!
âPresident Cody! President Cody! President Cody!â
With lots of friends!
âPresident Cody! President Cody! President Cody!â
When I opened my eyes, there was MC looking up at me with a cantaloupe in her hands. She said, âWhatever youâre thinking about doing, donât.â
Ha! Since when do I need advice from a five-year-old? Ms. B knows my destinyâthatâs why she suggested it. Iâm going to be an ace-brilliant-type- politician -guy! Today Garfield Elementary student council president, tomorrow the White House!
Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Listen Up, Everybody! I, Cody Lee Carson, am going for the top!
Monday, September 25
Well, I did it. I officially nominated myself for Garfield student council president. Only problem is, so did Amy. And Tyler. Not to mention a really smart girl named Kylie in Mrs. Larsenâs class.
So all of a sudden Iâm thinking of lots of reasons why, on second thought, I shouldnât run for student council president:
âNot qualified
âOverqualified
âReally am a kindergartner in disguise
âReally am a senior citizen in disguise
âDoctor told me not to run
âParents told me not to run
âSister told me to go ahead and run, and thatâs a bad sign
âCanât stand failure
âCanât stand success
âMy mind is too tense
âMy mind is too relaxed
âMy mind is missing, and thatâs a bad sign
âHave to quit to save the world
âHave to quit to go to bed
âNot enough time to prepare election day speech
âToo much time to prepare election day speech
âCanât stop worrying about election day speech, and thatâs a really bad sign!
Tuesday, September 26
Emerson came up to me today in the hall and told me that I shouldnât run for president without a campaign manager. âYou know,â he said, âa person who helps you get elected. Libby is helping Amy. Zach is helping Tyler. And that girl in Mrs. Larsenâs class, Kylie, has someone helping her, too.â He smiled. âSo I thought you might want to think about having a campaign manager, tooâlike me!â
âYou?â I said. Which was kind of an Old Me thing to do, I guess. But I couldnât help it. Emerson as anything other than Mr. Junk Food is hard for me to imagine.
Emersonâs smile dropped straight to the floor. He mumbled, âOkay ⦠well, if you donât want me, I guess you could ⦠get someone else.â He turned and started to slouch away.
Thatâs when I remembered how he gave up his seat for me on the first day of school. And how he is all the time doing nice things for other people, too, like letting Amy and Libby in front of him in line, and giving Zach a Toot-sie Roll, even though Zach isnât nice to him and calls him Fat Boy.
And then I thought about how smart Emerson is. And that he probably really could be a big