Why do Asians really get straight A's? - Project Gutenberg Consortia ...

“ Are you daydreaming again? ” Jordan asks, sneaking up from behind in order to
startle me on purpose. She loves to catch me daydreaming, especially when I'm sitting at a
table near lots of people, so that I'm embarrassed as hell.
“ No...just thinking, ” I reply apathetically.
“ Well, we've been here all morning. Have you gotten anything done? ” Jordan asks,
with a more patronizing tone this time.
“ Time flies when you're thinking hard. ”
“ Whatever. We have to get back home. Mommy and Daddy are waiting for us. ”
On our drive back home, I notice the natural— or rather contrived— scenery of Irvine.
You'd be surprised at how untarnished and strictly parallel the roads are, with concrete walls
along the sides of these roads holding factitious vines and descending sidewalks neatly paved
with erect signs posting the words: No Parking At All Times. The City of Irvine doesn't like
parked cars because it taints the perfect, suburban atmosphere. Even the trees are in on it,
perfectly aligned as if they're bowling pins set in an array of rows. But you never notice these
things, especially when they become a part of your everyday life— like the copious number of
exact-styled homes with impeccably cut, green lawns, surrounded by spaciously rectangular
gardens of every flower of every color. I just happen to notice these things this time around,
because I really don't want to talk to Jordan. Besides, she's humming this rather nettlesome
tune while I'm driving. She always has a surreptitious way of annoying me even when she's
not trying. I can't decide if Jordan is the greatest bane of my life or my greatest envy.