Chapter 12

Chapter twelve, I kept hoping that Ms. Flowers had forgotten about my three-paragraph report. She didn't mention it after she took attendance. She didn't mention it when she wrote her quote of the day on the board. She didn't mention it when she announced that it was taco day in the cafeteria. I was starting to feel pretty good and was even thinking how much I'd like a taco for lunch. But then Principal Love walked in, and I lost my appetite completely. "Principal Love has joined us for Hank's presentation," Ms. Flowers said to the class. "Hank, are you ready?" My mind screamed no. My mouth said yes.

"Fine," she said. "Please come up to the front of the class and read us your report." I opened my notebook and took out the piece of lined paper I had worked on. Nick McKelty leaned across his desk as far as he could without flipping over. Even though I tried to hide the paper, he got a quick look at it. "Hey, there's nothing written on there," he shouted. "It's totally empty." "It is not," I said. "See, there's the title, How to Hug an Elephant." "Oh is that what it says?" McKelty snorted. "To me, it looks like somebody threw up on your paper." "Nick, that's enough," Ms. Flowers said. "Hank, can I please see your report?" My heart started to beat faster. "It's not what it looks like," I said as I got close to her desk. "I know it looks empty, but there's a lot of thought behind it." Ms. Flowers held out her hand, and I had no choice but to give her the paper.

"Hank," she said, looking at both sides. "There's nothing but a big hole in the middle of this page." "I know. That's where all the thoughts fell through. They went right down that hole and into the carpet in my bedroom. But luckily for all of us, I still have them here in my mind." Before she could answer, I turned to the class and started to talk. "Yesterday I had the most amazing experience with Elsie the elephant," I began. "I learned that Elsie can use the end of her trunk like fingers. That's how she picks up things to eat. I also learned that if an elephant raises her trunk up in the air while she's trumpeting, it means she's happy to see you. But the most important thing I learned from Elsie is that elephants have feelings as big as their bodies."

"How'd you learn that?" McKelty shouted out. "Did you two dance or something?" "Actually, Elsie and I played soccer. And it turns out she's a natural. She could score a goal from a mile away." "I don't believe you," he said. "Well, it's true. You can ask Frankie and Ashley. They saw her do it." "We sure did," Frankie said. "That Elsie's got a great goal kick," Ashley added. "Elephants are the largest land animals in the world," I continued. "When one of their friends in the herd dies, they feel sad. When Elsie arrived at the zoo, she felt very sad. But after my visit with her, I believe she showed the zookeeper another side of her, a happy side."

"Sounds like you helped her feel better, Hank," Katie Sperling said. "I think that's so cool." A bunch of the other kids nodded. "Yeah, I think I did. So I'm really sorry that I scared everyone by getting lost. And that I did something dangerous by going into the enclosure. I'm also sorry I messed up your visit to the zoo. But I hope you understand that something wonderful happened with Elsie." "I have a question," Principal Love said from the back of the room. "Okay, Principal Love. I call on you." "Your behavior prevented your classmates

from enjoying the field trip as much as you did," he said. "How do you plan to make that up to them?" That was a good question. I had been thinking about it a lot. "First, let me repeat to everyone how sorry I am. And second, I have decided to donate everything in my piggy bank to a Save the Elephants organization. Elephants like Elsie are in danger, and I want to help them." "Why, Hank, what a wonderful idea," Ms. Flowers said. "I counted my money last night, and I'm pretty sure I have twenty-seven dollars and thirteen cents. It might be fifteen cents, I just couldn't keep track. Anyway, I'm donating the money in the name of all of you in Ms. Flowers's second-grade class." To my surprise, everyone started to cheer.