Full Cicada Moon

In “Suspended,” Mimi thinks staying home isn’t too bad. Timothy brings her schoolwork in the evenings, and Papa takes it back the next morning. She hasn’t talked to Stacey since they got suspended and hopes she forgives her. When Timothy comes to give Mimi her home economics homework, he explains that he heard Mrs. Whittaker teach the home economics class the system for washing dishes. They silently do the dishes together until Mimi asks if Timothy thinks what she and Stacey did was wrong. He admits that he thinks it was cool and brave. Mimi isn’t sorry she did it but is sorry that Stacey got suspended. Timothy tells her that Stacey is smart and can make up her own mind. He seems to be thinking to himself and leaves without telling Mimi what is on his mind. In “Fine,” Timothy arrives later than usual to give Mimi her homework and a letter from Stacey. Mimi asks Timothy if he told Stacey what she said the day before, but he didn’t have to. In her letter, Stacey tells Mimi that it feels like she is having another vacation and misses her. She is glad they went to shop and didn’t back down, and she would do it all over again. When Mimi thanks Timothy, he tells her that Stacey is her friend. Mimi tells him that he is, too.

In “Bad News,” Timothy raps on the door as if he is late for his lesson, even though it isn’t baking day. Timothy tumbles in with his face flushed and falls onto Papa. Timothy shares that Wesley’s squad was attacked and he is missing. He starts sobbing into Papa’s shoulder, and Mimi smooths his hair. Timothy’s mom called and is coming to get him. Mimi feels strongly for Timothy, Wesley, their mom, and herself. She asks how long he will be gone, but Timothy doesn’t know. Mr. Dell calls Timothy, and Papa asks if Timothy wants him to come along. Mimi wonders when she will see Timothy again, and he asks Mimi to meet him outside tonight. Mimi feels like crying and nods yes—it will be the Full Hunter’s Moon. When Timothy reaches Mr. Dell, their bodies tell a story. Timothy answers a phone call while Mr. Dell folds his arms. Mr. Dell looks at the Oliver’s home and the fence before stepping over it to Timothy and gently guiding him home. In “The Way We Say Good-bye: One,” Mimi remembers when she and Mama left Berkeley. Auntie Sachi, Uncle Kiyoshi, Shelley, and Sharon walked them to the taxi and opened the door for them. Their family waited on the sidewalk waving and bowing, and they stood at the curb even when the taxi turned the corner. Mimi, Shelley, and Sharon made pig faces at each other. 

In “The Way We Say Good-bye: Two,” Timothy and Mimi wait at the fence for a few minutes because his mom wants to leave right away just in case they get a call with more news about Wesley. Mimi doesn’t know what to say because she isn’t ready to say good-bye words. When an animal howls, Timothy tells her that Mr. Dell thinks it’s a coyote and to be careful. Timothy doesn’t want to go and is afraid of what they will find out. Mimi doesn’t know what to say to make him feel better. Mama brings a box of food for Timothy and his mother. Timothy walks to the back door, thanks Mama, and bows. Mama tells him that the person who is kind to their daughter is the one they love and hugs him. Timothy says he will write to her. Mimi tells him that she, Timothy, and even Wesley can look at the moon wherever they are. Timothy says it will be looking through the same hole in her moon box. When it’s their turn to hug good-bye, Mimi tells him she will miss him, that she hopes Wesley is okay, and that she can’t wait to see him again. Mimi is still at the fence when he goes into the house.

In “Reformed,” Mimi wonders if the principal was right when he said that thinking she and Stacey could change the world by sitting in shop was silly. She misses Timothy, and she feels that wanting to take shop seems silly and small compared to his sadness. Mimi thinks maybe she should forget what she wants and do what others want her to do. She decides to tell the principal she has reformed when she returns to school yet wonders if it is the right thing to do. In “Switched,” kids are whispering in the halls like something is happening in school today. Before heading to home economics for first period, Mimi wonders if it is a good time to go to the principal’s office. A lot of students stop to say hi and that they missed her. After homeroom, Mimi walks to home economics and sees that the room is full of boys. Andrew sits at the door and waves wildly for her to go to shop. Mimi walks as fast as she can to shop, which is full of girls. Mr. Sperangio stands with his hands on his hips, tells the girls they can’t be there, and asks where the boys are. When she walks in, he asks if it was her idea. Karen says it wasn’t because she was on suspension, which was his idea. Mr. Sperangio tells them to either go where they belong or to the office. The girls head to the principal’s office, where the boys are waiting. 

In “Promises,” 33 students are in the principal’s office for sitting in the wrong classroom. Instead of suspending them all for being silly and defiant, he asks them if they think they can change the rules and the world by switching classes. Andrew says he doesn’t think it was fair to punish Mimi and Stacey for trying. The principal promises to think about it if they go back to the classes in which they are supposed to be. They all look to each other and agree. In “Where’s Pattress,” Mimi describes how Pattress guards the turkeys every day. Today, Pattress isn’t at her post and one of the turkeys, Rufus, is missing. Mimi calls Mama, who runs out with her to look for her. Mimi worries if whatever got the turkeys got Pattress, too. In the woods, they call out to Pattress until they hear a low howl. They find Pattress lying near a tree with feathers around her. Though Rufus is dead, Pattress is alive but injured, and nuzzles Mimi’s hand. Mama tells Mimi to get Mr. Dell. Though Mimi doesn’t like him, she doesn’t care because she loves Pattress. She tells herself everything will be okay as she runs to Mr. Dell’s home.

In “Wheels,” Mimi bangs on the door and worries Mr. Dell isn’t home, doesn’t want to answer the door, or will tell her to go home. She then bangs on the garage door before Mr. Dell opens it. Mimi tells him that Pattress is hurt and can’t walk. He brings out a wheelbarrow with a blanket as they run to the woods. Mimi finds it sad and sweet how tender Mr. Dell is with Pattress. Mr. Dell tells them that the coyote they’ve been hearing probably got their turkey. Mama tells him that Pattress saved the rest of the turkeys. Mr. Dell asks Mimi to help him and says please—the first thing he’s ever said nicely. They take her to the garage and Mr. Dell slides her into the pickup truck. Mimi wants to go to the vet with Pattress, but not with Mr. Dell. Mama and Mimi walk home slowly, saying prayers. In “Words,” Mimi hasn’t heard about Pattress from Mr. Dell. She has been hoping to hear how Pattress is doing, a thank you, or even Mr. Dell blaming them for having turkeys. Mama and Mimi search for Rufus, pick up whatever is left of him, and bury him under a tree. They don’t hear any news from Mr. Dell after dinner, dishes, and homework until they hear a gunshot. When Papa looks outside, Mr. Dell shouts that they won’t have to worry about the coyote getting any more of their turkeys. Though the turkeys will be safe thanks to Mr. Dell, Mimi asks if Pattress is okay. Mr. Dell says she will be fine and nods deeply. 

In “Pardons,” Mimi watches as Walter Cronkite shows President Nixon pardoning a turkey so it won’t get eaten for Thanksgiving. Mama tells Mimi to draw a big sign with the words “Pardoned Turkeys.” She plans to give their turkeys to people as long as they promise to keep them as pets until they die after a good, long life. Mimi tells Mama that Rufus would be happy to know he saved the other turkeys from being eaten for Thanksgiving dinner. Mimi types up the promise on pieces of paper for each turkey and runs to the coop to tell the turkeys they have something to be thankful for, that Pattress will be okay, and the turkeys are pardoned. 

In “Homework,” Mimi is visiting Stacey for the first time since she invited her in May, and the two do homework together. Though her house is smaller than Mimi’s, they have a garden and a gazing globe in the backyard. Mimi wants to ask Mama to get one so they can see the moon and stars without looking up. Stacey asks Mimi what she is wearing to the dance when Mimi replies that she won’t go. Remembering what happened last spring, Stacey promises to stay with her the whole time. Mimi asks why Stacey wants her to go so badly. Stacey admits that dances are fun and asks if Mimi likes Victor. Mimi says she doesn’t, but she knows Stacey does. Stacey admits she will never tell her mom before apologizing that she didn’t mean it that way. Mimi knows what she means but doesn’t want to talk about it. Stacey explains that it took so long for her mother to invite Mimi and that she never invited her Black American friends back home. She doesn’t care that Victor is Black American and dorky—that’s what she likes about him. Mimi asks Stacey if she likes her because she is Black American and Japanese. Stacey responds that she likes Mimi because she is brave and dorky. Mimi likes Stacey because she doesn’t care what people think. Stacey then requests Mimi to pretend to be at the dance with Victor if anyone asks, but that she wants to dance with him. Stacey also asks Mimi if Mama could make her a dress and offers Mimi one of hers to wear. They don’t talk about why she wants to keep her crush on Victor a secret. In “Thanksgiving,” Mama packs a meal for Mimi and Papa to take to Mr. Dell because he is all alone. It is her way of “tilling soil” with him. They carry the boxes across the yard and knock. Just before Mimi suggests leaving the boxes there, the door opens. Mr. Dell doesn’t smile but doesn’t shut the door. Papa tells him that Emiko made him dinner. Mr. Dell takes the boxes and says thank you. As they walk home, Papa and Mimi look at each other and smile.