Grade 6 and 7 Literature Circle Projects
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| Always Ask For A Transfer by Vancy Kasper | |
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By Vancy Kasper (1984) |
These chapter summaries and discussion notes were written by Natasha, Ashley, Danica, Courtney, Shane, Brydon, Endy, Trey, Crystal , Melissa, Devon , and Shawnna.
The author, Vancy Kasper was born in Toronto . She received her B.A. from the University of Toronto . She also wrote Street of Three Directions (1988) and Escape to Freedom (1991).
This story begins at the front door of a new foster home. The problem is Willy and Laura’s dad got really drunk and beat up their mom and so Laura and Willy went to several foster homes. Now they are at Mr. and Mrs. Bazos’ home.
Laura is feeling terrified and she has to go to the bathroom. She is also upset because of their dad beating up their mom and having to go to a new home. If it was me, I would start to blubber and I would want to run away. I know how it feels because my parents have broken up before.
Willy is feeling agitated and nauseous because he is frightened about going into a new foster home. My sister would know how he feels because she’s been in a foster home before. Though, after a while my sister really did like the foster home. A foster home can make you feel protected and gives you a chance to get away from your family problems and time to think.
I think if I was going to a foster home by myself, it could get overwhelming because the new parents would be pushing all this stuff at me and expecting me to do work or chores. Willy is scared to say anything because he thinks the home is only temporary and that he and Laura will have to move away again soon.
Mr. Bazos smokes because he is stressed and frightened, too. Mrs. Bazos is also nervous. She keeps busy by cooking and cleaning. Willy and Laura liked Mrs. Bazos’ Greek food (baklava and bouboneria).
It was midday at Willy and Laura’s new foster home. Mrs.Bazos was busy working and Willy and Laura attempted to help. Then, Mrs.Bazos, Willy, and Laura went to visit Mrs. Bazos’ cousins.
Willy was hot, so he and Paul went to play outside with the hose and ended up hosing down the basement floor of Paul’s foster home. But they didn’t get into trouble. They just had to clean it up. Then they were play fighting and Willy was worried that they would get into trouble or it would turn into a real battle, but nothing like that happened.
Have you ever been separated from someone you love? How did you feel?
Have you ever felt nervous because you couldn’t seem to do anything right on a particular day? I have. I always feel alarmed that my gram won’t trust me if I do something wrong, so what I do is try my best and I say I’m sorry if I mess up.
Chapter 3: Men are Men
In this chapter Willy went shopping with Laura for Mrs. Bazos. When Willy and Laura were walking home, Willy was counting the change over and over. Willy was afraid because the cashier might not have given them the right amount of cash back. He was scared that Mr and Mrs. Bazos would get mad at him if he had the wrong change. When I go shopping with my family, I bring a calculator.
When they got home, Mrs. Bazos was resting. Back at home, Willy was tired and bored. He doesn’t like watching soap operas. As he was walking by Laura’s room, he smelled the bubble bath that their mom gave Laura before they left to go to their new foster home with the Bazos. Willy went to his room and had time to think about his mom and about how they had become wards of the court. He thought he heard his mom’s voice saying, “If you feel very down, try and help someone else. Sometimes that helps you forget your own pain for awhile.” When I am feeling upset, I leave until I settle down. A little time later, Willy woke up to the smell of roasted lamb.
At supper, Mr. Bazos said something that made Willy cry. Mr. Bazos told Willy he could work two nights a week at the pizza parlour. The other nights were for basketball, his favourite sport. Willy was crying because he was frustrated, lonely, and angry when he realized that no one cared about him like Mr.Bazos. Later, Willy went downstairs and Mr. Bazos was smoking and Mrs. Bazos was washing dishes. His step mom had made an English chocolate cake.
Chapter 4: A Crash Course in Being Greek
The Bazos went to church. Laura and Willy missed church because they slept in, but there were bacon and eggs waiting to be warmed up. There was also a letter that said it would be nice if they would clean up.
Mrs. Bazos took Willy and Laura to the movies. Mr. Bazos was already waiting in line for Willy, Laura, and his wife. Willy wanted to get out of the Greek movie but when it started he thought the photographer was outstanding. The movie was about Greek history. Then people got mad and started hurling shoes at the movie. With all this action, Willy thought he could probably get away with climbing over the people in front of him. The kids and adults in the theatre were getting angry because people in the movie were being murdered and these injustices were hidden by the government. If I was a Greek that went to the movie I would be sad because it would remind me of the civil war.
The next day Willy had a big breakfast and he rushed down to go play basketball. Laura said she never wanted to get married. She also wanted to be a computer programmer. Willy took Laura to the park. Willy and Laura could only phone their mom once a month. Willy and his friends played basketball.
Willy was late for basketball practice because of his math work. Willy and Kurt were in a basketball game. After the game Kurt smoked but Willy wouldn’t. Willy told Kurt he had a job at the pizza parlour.
Willy’s dad had just gotten out of jail and had been brought to the police station. Willy’s dad had a record with the police and no work. Willy was walking home and his dad found him. Willy’s dad was drinking a lot. Willy’s dad grabbed him and asked Willy if he had any money. Willy said, “Yes, dad.” His dad demanded to know where Willy’s mom was. So Willy said, “If I give you money, you have to leave mom alone.” Willy gave his dad all of his money because he didn’t want his dad to find his mom and he knew if he didn’t his dad would go and beat his mother senseless again. His dad grabbed him again and told him, “You’re lucky you have a job.”
As Willy was standing there watching his dad leave, Kurt came along and asked if Willy was OK. Willy got mad and creamed Kurt in the head. Then Kurt said, “Settle down, me and my old man have the same problem.” Willy helped Kurt get up and they went to wait for the bus. Willy was all tearful and sad and didn’t care whether the bus was coming or not.
How would I deal with this if I was in this violent situation? I would: phone the police, yell, use self defense, run away screaming, ignore him or quit my job.
Willy looked up to Kurt in basketball but at the pizza place Kurt wasn’t working very much because all of his time was spent on the phone. They were not selling very much pizza and Kurt was putting down Mr. Bazos.
Each week Willy met up with his father and gave him the money again and then he went back to Mr. Bazos to make some more money for his father. This time, Willy’s dad struck him because Willy had kept some of the money for himself. His dad had said, “You cheat me boy! How can I live off of this?” He wanted all of the money and grabbed it. Willy’s dad was stealing from him!
Willy would have hit his dad but he thought, “No, I shouldn’t hit him or else I would be a bully like my dad.” Willy did not tell Laura or the Bazos.
Christmas was coming and Laura wanted to buy a $100 cashmere sweater for her mom; one she had wanted all her life. Laura was asking Willy to pay for the expensive sweater because he was working at the pizza place and was making a good amount of money. Willy said no because he had no money. Laura asked, “Why, aren’t you working?”
Willy was very tired the next morning and had to drag himself to the breakfast table. Laura looked like she had been crying all night. Willy couldn’t buy anyone anything for Christmas because he had no money since he had to pay his dad all his work money.
Willy could almost smell his father coming up behind him. Mr. Bazos had invited Willy’s mom for Christmas dinner. Willy locked himself in the bathroom because he was scared to tell Mr.and Mrs. Bazos that his dad was taking his money. Should Willy tell his family about his dad taking his money?
Mr. Bazos had a busy Saturday night and Willy couldn’t go to a party. Business was doing well at the pizza place. Suddenly, the phone rang. It was Laura to say that Mrs. Bazos had fallen down the stairs. Mr. Bazos told Laura to put a blanket over her and not to touch her. Mr. Bazos went home leaving Willy and Kurt to look after the pizza place. When Mr. Bazos came back much later, he told the boys that he had good news. Mrs. Bazos had a small heart attack but she was getting better.
Mr. Bazos opened the cash register and mentioned that some money was missing - $80 or $90 and a $50 bill. Mr. Bazos accused Willy of stealing because Willy never had any money and was maybe doing drugs. Willy knew he was being accused of stealing money and he thought about punching Kurt because he was the one who had stolen the money. Willy left furiously, running from the pizza parlour to get on a train away from Mr. Bazos.
If I was accused of stealing, this is how would I react:
Willy just stayed on the rail car for a long time. He was stressed because Mr.Bazos thought he was a thief and a liar. Willy broke down and cried as he thought about his mom and his sister. He was afraid that his dad was going to hurt his mom. Willy had forgotten to get a transfer and he became furious with the guy in the Toronto Transit Commission booth because the man thought Willy was a drug user and a hoodlum when he tried to ask for a transfer. So Willy went crazy and punched the glass and made the man faint. Willy was losing his mind!
He was chased away and the police were looking for Willy for what seemed a long time. The cops picked him up and took him to jail to answer the policeman’s questions. Willy finally told them who he lived with and Mr. Bazos picked Willy up and drove him home.
Willy and Mr. Bazos were yelling at each other and Laura woke up to hear them yelling. Willy confided in Mr. Bazos and told him everything about his dad was taking his money. Mr. Bazos told Willy, “You are my son. I love you” and Willy said, “I love you, too.” Then the Mr. Bazos wasn’t furious after all and they shared some hot chocolate. No more worries; they love each other. If I were Willy, I would have cried.
Here’s what we think will happen next: