Marsha pranced through the doorway
of our Latin class, waving her arm
around like a flag.  “I'll never wash this
hand again,” she announced.
Mr. Reed gaped at her, peering
over his glasses.  “You're late,”
he said.  “We're reading about Jason
and the Argonauts.” 
Marsha shrugged and giggled.  “I was
in the crowd, right when he passed by—
you know, on Michigan Avenue.
I was in front, and I yelled out, ‘Te amo,
Te amo!’ and he stopped and took
my hand and kissed the top of it.”
Now we peppered her with questions—
Was he really as good looking in
person?  Was Jackie with him? 
Our teacher smiled and nodded at her
to open her book. 
“I'll never wash this hand again,”
she declared.  “Never, never, never. 
Te amo, Te amo, Te amo.”  She put
her head down on her desk and wept.

Karen Loeb is Eau Claire’s new Writer in Residence. For more by and about her, go here.