Keezia, a four-year-old Head Start child, walks to the car with her mother. Ever since her mom bought that used car, the program says Keezia can't ride the bus with the other kids. "Gotta hurry, honey," says Keezia's mother. Keezia tries to run, but her legs just get tangled up. When Keezia finally gets in the car, it won't start. Keezia's mother helps Keezia out of the car. "We have to walk and walk fast. If you make me late for work again, I'm not going to have any work to go to." *

By the time Keezia gets to school, it's 9:35 and all the other children are finishing breakfast. No one seems to notice her. *

The teacher doesn't greet Keezia. He heads straight for Keezia's mother instead. *

He's wearing that mad look. Keezia watches as he tells Keezia's mother that it's a bad idea to be late for school day after day. It's not good for Keezia, he says, and it's disruptive for the other children, too. He asks if Keezia has eaten breakfast this morning. Keezia's mother shakes her head "no." "You do know we can't serve breakfast after 9:30," he says. *

Keezia watches her mother quickly leave the classroom. She knows there won't be any good-bye hugs today. *

During free time, Keezia is told to play in the manipulative area. Keezia finds a puzzle with a fish on it. The puzzle is hard, so many pieces. She works on it for the longest time, trying pieces in lots of different holes, turning the pieces, looking at the shapes. How come it seems as if she is the only one who can't do puzzles? *

"Couldn't you get that puzzle together?" asks her teacher. "You know, we just don't have any easier ones." The teacher asks Philip to help Keezia with the fish. Philip groans. He's been working on his castle and he doesn't want to stop to work on some fish puzzle. But the teacher urges him, "Keezia can't do it without you." Keezia watches as Philip seems to move like lightning. *

Now it's story time, Keezia's favorite time. She likes sitting on her carpet square, listening to the words, looking at the pictures. Sometimes she gets to sit on the teacher's lap. Today she sits next to her friend, Lila, and that's special, too. The teacher asks what story the class wants to hear. Keezia calls out Goodnight Moon. Everyone agrees.

Just when the teacher gets to the part about two little kittens and the pair of mittens, Mary, the occupational therapist, walks into the room. The teacher closes the book and tells Keezia to go with Mary so she can get her special help. *

When Keezia returns to the classroom, the kids are getting ready to play outside. There are only two Big Wheels and Keezia's really hoping that this time she'll get a turn. But she's too slow. By the time she gets outside, Lila and Philip are zooming in circles around her. *

Finally it is time to go home. Keezia wonders when her mother will get there. She waits inside, staring through the window. She starts to wave good-bye as the school bus rides away, but no one sees her. *