Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks

Jasmine Jordan and her best friend Terrence Jumper, also known as TJ, leave their last class of the day together. Jasmine and TJ have been best friends since they were six years old and “were the only kids who lived on their block” (2). Jasmine teases TJ about the boogers in his nose. Jasmine has just returned to school two days ago after having “been gone for a while” (3).

TJ talks to Jasmine about his research on boogers and how “boogers are basically water and dust” (5). TJ shares his theory that human beings, mostly made of water and created from the dust of the earth by God, are boogers, too. Jasmine laughs at TJ’s wild theory and “appreciated the fact that he always made her laugh whether she wanted to or not” (7).

This school year has been tough for Jasmine. Her parents separated and her father left the family home. After this turmoil, Jasmine began feeling ill from her sickle cell anemia, “a blood disease since birth […] which can affect almost every part of the body. Organs, joints, even vision” (8). Jasmine’s hands and feet became swollen and “her muscles felt like they’d become wood” (9).