Ms. O: What would you do if you knew you wouldn’t get caught?
E: probably burn down the school
C: yeah, that. Or actually, get in here with a bulldozer and a fork lift. Actually, maybe just mess up some people’s vehicles.
E: I’d get us a new superintendent, actually…
C: I was thinking of him. I’d smash his two trucks together so he had just one. Smashed up.
E: Did you ever see that movie where they make all illegal things legal for one night every year? The Purge?
C: I might murder someone.

I kind of like it when they says things like that, because I can laugh and tell them that they never would, and let them know I think they’re wonderful.
Our conversation changed direction a few minutes later.

C: I think we actually could feed the world, but the economy is all messed up. We can’t distribute the food right.
Ms. O: you might be right. We grow all kinds of crops around here, but most of that goes to feeding cows and stuff. I know some people who are vegetarians because they think there’ll be more food for people that way.
E: I heard this one: A vegetarian says to a meat-eater, “Cow farts are dissolving the ozone! I’m a vegetarian. What are you doing about it?” and the meat eater says “Eating the cow”
C: Ms. O, this might sound weird, but since we’re kinda close in age, do you ever think about, like, having kids? I’m kinda scared to. What kind of world will they have?
Ms O: All the time. It’s scary!
E: I kinda wonder why we, like, kids, don’t get to vote. The president makes decisions that effect our future too.
Ms. O: I think maybe it’s because, even though you’re smart and informed, you aren’t living in the real world yet
C: that kinda makes sense. Like, we don’t really understand how complicated some things are. We don’t work or pay bills or anything. I think people should have food stamps though, but only if you can’t work. There are a lot of people in Forrest city who could work but they don’t. They just get that check.
Ms. O: But where are they supposed to work? There’s no jobs and they don’t have a great education or skills. Their whole family is here. Where are they supposed to go?
C: it sucks that there’s no businesses here. It’s, like, the tire shop and Love’s are the only things that bring money to Palestine, and the rest of the community don’t see it, ’cause the guy at the tire shop don’t have any place to spend it.
Ms. O: what kind of business do you think could succeed here? Like, a restaurant?
E: I heard that this guy my parents know wanted to open a Red Lobster, but the company said a town the size of Forrest City couldn’t sustain one.
Ms. O: what about, like, an ice cream shop in the summer? The only thing around here is Baskin Robbins at the gas station.

We all agreed that Baskin Robbins sucks.