5. Sense and Non-Sense

5 Sense and Non-Sense There were only two more days until the F.A.R.T. We were still nervous about the test, but thanks to Ms. Jo-Jo, everybody was getting relaxed. We couldn't wait to see what she was going to do with us next. "Namaste," she said as she walked

into our classroom. She was carrying a tray with a bunch of paper cups on it. "Namaste," we all replied. "Are you kids getting relaxed?" she asked. "Yeah!" we all said. "Great! Get on your shoes and take off the floor." HUH? "I mean get on the floor and take off your shoes." Oh, that's different. "Today we're going to relax your senses," said Ms. Jo-Jo as she gave each of us a cup with some green stuff in it. "First, your sense of taste. Drink this." "What is it, mint?" I asked as I took a sip. "It's celery juice," she replied. "It's a superfood."

Ugh! Celery juice tasted like celery, but even yuckier. I thought I was gonna die. Everybody hated the taste, except for Andrea and Emily, of course. They asked for seconds. Ms. Jo-Jo felt bad that we didn't like her celery juice, so she gave each of us a pacifier, which are those things they give

to crying babies to keep them quiet. "What am I supposed to do with this?" I asked. "Suck on it, of course," said Ms. Jo-Jo. "But they're for babies!" complained Ryan. "Aren't we all just babies that got bigger?" asked Ms. Jo-Jo. "Pacifiers relax children of all ages." I sucked on the pacifier. She was right. It was relaxing. Next, Ms. Jo-Jo went out in the hall and came back carrying a big tent, the kind you use when you go camping. She pushed some of our desks aside and opened up the tent in the middle of the classroom. "What are we going to do with a tent?" asked Michael.

"It's not just a tent," Ms. Jo-Jo replied as she climbed inside. "It's an Aroma Dome. It will help relax your sense of smell. Come on in!" We all climbed into the Aroma Dome. Ms. Jo-Jo lit some stinky candles and told us to breathe in the essential oils. Then she took a banana out of her pocket. "What's that for?" Neil asked. Ms. Jo-Jo peeled the banana and told Neil to rub the peel on his ears. He did. This was getting weird. "Banana oil calms your nerves and relieves your stress," she told Neil as she ate the banana. "Go ahead, everybody try it." I wasn't going to rub a banana peel on my ears. No way! That was just too weird. But everybody else in the class started rubbing the banana peel on their ears. I

didn't want to look like the weird kid, so I rubbed the banana peel on my ears. It felt strange, but kind of nice. "Your skin absorbs the vitamins from the banana," said Ms. Jo-Jo. After that, she burned some green leafy stuff called sage. She said it promotes healing and gets rid of bad vibes, negative energy, and evil spirits. It also stinks. I was afraid it might set off the fire alarm. "Ummm," said Andrea. "It smells nice in here." "The Aroma Dome is like a rain forest," said Ms. Jo-Jo, "but without the forest.* Next, let's relax your sense of hearing."