Free Bases Loaded by Mike Knudson

all went to our desks and waited.
    â€œSo where’s your mommy?” David said.
    â€œI don’t know. She had to go somewhere before school,” I said. “She’ll be here.”
    â€œShe’s probably at the store getting you some more diapers,” he said, snickering.
    Just then my mom walked through the door. “Sorry I’m late, everyone. I had to make one stop at the store.” She walked up to Mrs. Gibson’s desk and put down her purse and the folder of homework she had corrected. “Now, I know you miss Mrs. Gibson and school just isn’t the same with a substitute. But I had a lot of fun teaching you this week. And to thank you for making me feel so welcome, I have a surprise.”
    My heart started beating fast, and I held my breath. What was it going to be?
    â€œThis afternoon, we are going to have a party,” she said. “I have some soda and a piñata filled with candy in my car. So if we can get all of our work done early, we’ll take the last hour of class to have our fiesta. How does that sound?”
    Everyone cheered. Graham gave me a thumbs-up sign. I looked around at all the happy faces . Maybe this week hasn’t been so bad after all , I thought.
    We worked hard the whole day to make sure there was time for the party. I couldn’t believe she’d gotten a piñata. Piñatas are the greatest invention ever. They combine two of my favorite things: baseball and candy. It’s just like being up to bat, but instead of a ball, you get to swing at a cardboard animal filled with candy!
    Finally, it was time. Mom had us all move our desks to the sides of the room to make a big open space in the middle. Then she told us the rules of the piñata. We each got three swings with the plastic bat, and then it was someone else’s turn. Mom had a big sombrero that she bought when she and my dad went on a trip to Mexico. She put it on my head and said, “Raymond, you get to go first. And when you’re done, you get to choose who goes next by putting the sombrero on his or her head.”
    The piñata hung from a rope that was tied to the end of a long broom handle. Mom stood on a chair and held out the broom handle, dangling the donkey-shaped piñata in the middle of the open space. “Everyone else stand back here by the wall. We don’t want anyone to get hit,” she said.
    Mom blindfolded me and handed me a stick.
    â€œWhenever you’re ready, go ahead and swing.”
    I pulled the bat back and swung as hard as I could. I missed the piñata and fell down.
    â€œThat’s how you play baseball too,” David yelled out, laughing.
    â€œDavid,” Mom said sternly. “That was uncalled for, especially during a fiesta. If you want a turn at the piñata, you have to be nice.”
    I swung again and hit the bottom of the piñata, but it didn’t break.
    â€œStrike two.” David laughed again. I hated that guy. I wanted to say something like, “I didn’t know you could count to two—my math lessons must be working.” But I didn’t say anything.
    My third swing hit the piñata straight on, but it didn’t break.
    â€œOkay, good job, Raymond,” Mom said. “Now pick someone to go next.” I pulled off the blindfold and looked around at all the waving hands. I knew exactly who I was going to pick. David tried to grab the hat as I walked down the line of kids, but I went straight to Heidi and put the sombrero on her head. Mom put the blindfold over her eyes and guided her to the middle of the room. Heidi hit the piñata twice, but it didn’t break. Then she put the sombrero on Diane, who also hit it, but still no candy fell. Suzy Rivera was next. She was the smallest girl in our class, but she really smacked the piñata hard. On her first swing she made a small hole in it, and two pieces of candy fell out.
    â€œPlease leave the candy on the floor until