Sitting in the window seat, in deep thought Mary steered at the falling autumn leaves as they gently landed on the soft powdery snow. This time of year was always a difficult time for her because it was the time when she lost her mother to cancer.

In the salon, a vision so fair,
A beautiful black girl with curly hair,
Bouncy, shoulder-length, a crown so rare,
She sits so poised in the stylist's care.

Blandness. 

That's what Lucas was feeling as he watched his literature teacher express the admiration of his favorite piece of reading for the umpteenth time this month.