Page 183 of Finding Us

“Because it’s a mathematical supply,” she says, as if that should make sense.

“Those are for geometry. You’re taking calculus.”

“I still should have one.”

“You’re not going to use a protractor, Jade. You’re not going to be measuring angles.”

“Maybe not, but I need the calculator.”

“What does that have to do with the protractor?”

She sighs and points to the pouch. “This is the mathematical supply pouch. I can’t just have a calculator in there and nothing else.”

“Why not?”

“Because then it wouldn’t be a supply pouch. It would just be a calculator pouch and that doesn’t make sense.”

I give up trying to understand her logic and watch her fill up another pouch, this time with miniature Kleenex packets, some lip balm, several headbands, hand lotion, some aspirin, cough drops, and after that I lose track of what she’s tossing in there.

“Jade, why are you bringing all that shit to class?”

“You have to have this stuff in case something happens.”

“Like what? A hair emergency? Dry lips? You suddenly develop a cold in the middle of a 50-minute class?”

“Yes, those are all possibilities,” she says very seriously. “What’s inyourbackpack?”

I motion to it. “Take a look.”

She picks it up and sets it on the kitchen table. Inside I have my laptop and the one book I need for tomorrow.

“You haven’t packed it yet.”

“It’s packed and ready to go.” I yawn and stretch out on the couch.

“There’s nothing in here. Where are your notebooks and pens?”

“I don’t use that stuff. I take notes on the laptop.”

“What if your battery dies?”

“I’ll charge it. Hey, could you throw the cord in there? That’s what I forgot to pack.”

Jade appears in front of me, holding my backpack. “Garret, I can’t let you go to class like this. You need supplies. You want some Kleenex?”

I laugh as I imagine myself sitting in class, pulling out one of those tiny packets. Yeah. Not gonna happen. “No, Jade. I’m not bringing those.”

“What if you have to blow your nose?”

“I’ll go to the bathroom and do it.”

“You can’t just get up and leave during class.”

“Sure I can. I did it all the time last year.”

“At least let me put some pens in here. I have extras.”

“I know you do, but I don’t need one.”

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