While preparing for the start of class, Mr. Shapiro notices a policeman walk over to one of his students, Jaime, and he wonders if the policeman is trying to get Jaime not to skip class. The bell rings, and Mr. Shapiro becomes nervous, wondering if he is wasting his life as a teacher for underprivileged students, who he finds apathetic toward school.  Jaime comes to class late as everyone else is painting their interpretations of a Robert Frost poem. Mr. Shapiro studies Jaime and asks if he needs help, his legs suddenly weak for a reason he can’t understand. Mr. Shapiro then begins to read another poem and feels embarrassed because the poem seems silly. The students look at Mr. Shapiro strangely, and Jaime says he is reading much too fast. After finishing the poem, the class begins to discuss, and Jaime asks Mr. Shapiro to read a section again. While the students paint, Mr. Shapiro goes to the bathroom, and when he returns, he studies everyone’s paintings to decide who will win the gold star for best painting of the day. He looks at Jaime’s painting, which has two manlike figures facing each other, their arms raised above their heads and hands holding stones. Mr. Shapiro asks Jaime to explain his painting, but Jaime becomes upset, saying it doesn’t mean anything. Mr. Shapiro awards Jaime the gold star, but Jaime begins to cry. The bell rings, leaving Jaime and Mr. Shapiro alone. Mr. Shapiro asks Jaime to help him put the paint supplies away and offers to walk him home. Jaime tries to explain why he was crying and eventually says that he has no room where he lives to hang up his painting because he lives in a single room with four other families, and his family does not get a wall in their living space this week. Jaime then runs away, upset and without his painting.