“You mean they was Negroes, miss?” This had come from Aaron Fitzhammer, a big lumpish boy in a YFA cap. He wasn’t being cruel but was genuinely confused. Annie wished Miss Kelly would stop this and move on. Raj had crumpled into himself.

“Can anyone tell me what indigenous means?” Miss Kelly asked.

Annie put up her hand. “It means they were there first, Miss Kelly.”

“Right. Like the Osage were here in Missouri first.”

“The Negroes weren’t here first,” Eileen Metzler declared sharply. She had a strawberry birthmark in the shape of a mitten over her left cheek; her father was secretary of the Missouri chapter of the KKK.

“We’re not talking about them right now,” Miss Kelly said.

“I thought Negroes came from the jungle.” Aaron’s utterly perplexed expression set off a general titter of laugher.

“They do have a jungle in India.” Miss Kelly was getting flustered. “In fact they have elephants like they have in Africa, but the elephants have larger—or is it smaller?—ears.”

“Why would they have different-sized ears?” Aaron was almost crying with the strain of all this.

Miss Kelly was in quicksand and Aaron had become a weight around her neck.

“Anyway,” she stammered, “what I was saying is that Indians are a mixing together of Dravidians and Aryans.”

“How did they mix together, Miss Kelly?” asked Seamus Haliday, a sly sharp-witted boy with pure red hair, his naked eyes like two blue marbles pushed into white clay.

Miss Kelly ignored him. “So, what I’m saying is that America is now like what India was all those thousands of years ago. Lots of different people from all different places mixing together on this continent.”

“White folks shouldn’t mix with Negroes,” Eileen Metzler shouted furiously.

Miss Kelly didn’t know what to do now. This was clearly not how she had intended things to turn out. Acting as ever from kindness and empathy, she had foolishly thought that if she could introduce Raj with some sort of historical and geographical background it would help him fit in a little better.

Seamus, sensing the kill, said, “So you’re saying that in like a thousand years we’re all going to end up looking like Roger?”

“Better than looking like you, carrot top,” Annie said.

“Well, you’re already halfway there, dago girl.”

“Seamus, that’s enough,” Miss Kelly said.

“Better than being an albino mushroom bonehead like you.” Annie was so mad she went to stand up, but Nora, who was sitting next to her, took hold of Annie’s arm and pulled her back down.

“Annie, you’re going to stay behind after school if you say another word.” Miss Kelly, brightly flushed, looked as if she had been canning all day.

Lew entered the classroom, faraway as ever.

“Lewis.” Miss Kelly vented a little of her frustration. “Late on your first day. That’s not a good sign, is it?”

“Sorry, Miss Kelly.” He didn’t give an excuse and sat down next to Raj.

His presence changed the atmosphere of the room. It was as if a leopard had just sauntered in. Everyone, including Miss Kelly, was in awe of him. Annie felt a little heart clutch of proud possession as he glanced toward her and smiled.