Third Grade Angels

During dinner with his family, Suds bickers with his sister, Amy, whom he calls Zippernose. As he recounts the hat incident to his parents, Suds’s mother scolds the third graders’ misbehavior while his father praises Mrs. Simms’s handling of the situation. Later, Suds struggles with sleep, reflecting on his sister’s earlier accusation that he always feels the need to be first. He acknowledges this trait within himself but hesitates to confide in anyone. Suds realizes that this desire to be first extends to his school life and explains why he is so eager to receive the first halo. Secretly, he is fearful that he will not be chosen.

Suds and his classmates leave various items on Mrs. Simms’s desk as apologies for the hat incident. Mrs. Simms bursts into laughter upon seeing the gifts, and the students are unsure how to react. Mrs. Simms appreciates the gesture but emphasizes the importance of earning the halo through good behavior rather than bribery. She clarifies that such gifts do not contribute to earning the halo and urges the students to focus on doing good things instead.