As a teacher of fourth-graders in a public school, where corporal punishement was not allowed, she had years of violence stored up and was, truth be told, sort of enjoying letting it out on Kona, who she felt could have been the poster child for the failure of public education.

One can't be free without action.

Oh, I get it," I said. "It's a parable. Cute. Let's go eat.

Like God's own chocolate, I'd lick her shadow off a hot sidewalk

You think you know how this story is going to end, but you don't.

Don't bruise the Foo!

You don't hurry a thinker, and you don't talk to him when he's thinking. It's just inconsiderate.