1The Eskimos got thirty different names for snow, I say. I read it in a book.

2I got a cousin, Rachel says, she got three different names.

3There ain't thirty different kinds of snow, Lucy says. There are two kinds. The clean kind and the dirty kind, clean and dirty. Only two.

4There are a million zillion kinds, says Nenny, no two exactly alike. Only how do you remember which one is which?

5She got three last names and, let me see, two first names. One in English and one in Spanish . . .

6And clouds got at least ten different names, I say.

7Names for clouds? Nenny asks, names just like you and me?

8That up there, that's cumulus, and everybody looks up.

9Cumulus are cute, Rachel says. She would say something like that.

10What's that one there? Nenny asks, pointing a finger.

11That's cumulus too. They're all cumulus today. Cumulus, cumulus, cumulus.

12No, she says. That there is Nancy, otherwise known as Pig-eye. And over there her cousin Mildred, and little Joey, Marco, Nereida and Sue.

13There are all different kinds of clouds. How many different kinds of clouds can you think of?

14Well, there's these already that look like shaving cream . .

15And what about the kind that looks like you combed its hair? Yes, those are clouds too.

16Phyllis, Ted, Alfredo and Julie . .

17There are clouds that look like big fields of sheep, Rachel says. Them are my favorite.

18And don't forget nimbus the rain cloud, I add, that's something.

19Jose and Dagoberto, Alicia, Raul, Edna, Alma and Rickey...

20There's that wide puffy cloud that looks like your face when you wake up after falling asleep with all your clothes on.

21Reynaldo, Angelo, Albert, Armando, Mario...

22Not my face. Looks like your fat face.

23Rita, Margie, Ernie...

24Whose fat face?

25Esperanza's fat face, that's who. Looks like Esperan za's ugly face when she comes to school in the morning.

26Anita, Stella, Dennis, and Lob...

27Who you calling ugly, ugly?

28Richie, Yolanda, Hector, Stevie, Vincent . . .

29Not you. Your mama, that's who.

30My mama? You better not be saying that, Lucy Guerrero. You better not be talking like that ... else you can say goodbye to being my friend forever.

31I'm saying your mama's ugly like . . . ummm . . .

32. . . like bare feet in September!

33That does it! Both of yous better get out of my yard before I call my brothers.

34Oh, we're only playing.

35I can think of thirty Eskimo words for you, Rachel. Thirty words that say what you are.

36Oh yeah, well I can think of some more.

37Uh-oh, Nenny. Better get the broom. Too much trash in our yard today.

38Frankie, Licha, Maria, Pee Wee . . .

39Nenny, you better tell your sister she is really crazy because Lucy and me are never coming back here again. Forever.

40Reggie, Elizabeth, Lisa, Louie . . .

41You can do what you want to do, Nenny, but you better not talk to Lucy or Rachel if you want to be my sister.

42You know what you are, Esperanza? You are like the Cream of Wheat cereal. You're like the lumps.

43Yeah, and you're foot fleas, that's you.

44Chicken lips.

45Rosemary, Dalia, Lily . . .

46Cockroach jelly.

47Jean, Geranium and Joe . . .

48Cold frijoles.

49Mimi, Michael, Moe...

50Your mama's frijoles.

51Your ugly mama's toes.

52That's stupid.

53Bebe, Blanca, Benny ...

54Who's stupid?

55Rachel, Lucy, Esperanza, and Nenny.