Thomas was a mess of a little boy. Besides being 'a picker' and spending more time in the nurses office with nose bleeds than in the classroom, he also had horrible hygiene. Over the years different teachers had tried to talk to his mother about his shabby appearance, curious body aroma, uncombed hair, his frequent nose picking (and the after effort snack), and effect this had on his ability to make friends. These pleas fell on deaf ears.
Now in 6th grade, with a full face of acne, and recognizing the girls (and boys...) aren't interested in him, Thomas asked his teacher how he could get rid of all the pimples on his face.
"Well let me ask you Thomas, how often do you take a shower?"
"Every two or three days."
"Don't you think you should be taking a shower every single night?"
Thomas laughed hysterically. "Ha! We've got better things to spend our money than water!"
