- Rachel addresses the reader directly at the story's outset. She points out that when you are eleven you aren't just eleven. You're also every age leading up to eleven, meaning sometimes you might feel more like you're still three years old rather than feeling like the big, bad eleven year old you've suddenly become.
- On this particular birthday, Rachel wishes she had more than just eleven years inside her. She wishes she were 102. Why 102? Because 102 year olds are wise enough to know exactly what to say. 102-year-old Rachel would totally have known exactly what to say to stand up against Mrs. Price.
- During math period, Mrs. Price holds up an ugly, horrible red sweater and demands to know who owns it. It's been in the coatroom for a month, which is like forever in coatroom time.
- Everyone says it isn't his or hers, but "stupid" Sylvia SaldÃvar says it belongs to Rachel (9).
- Without a word, Mrs. Price just drops it on Rachel's desk.
- Embarrassed, Rachel tries to protest, but Mrs. Price says she remembers her wearing it once.
- Mrs. Price is right because she's the teacher, and Rachel is wrong because she's a student. (Boy, does that sound familiar to any of you Shmoopers or what?)
- Math period continues. Rachel gets a sick feeling deep inside her, and it has nothing to do with long division.
- She tries to push the sweater as far away from her as she can while keeping it on the desk. She even uses her ruler because she doesn't want to touch the thing.
- This gets Mrs. Price peeved. She orders Rachel to put on the sweater and to quit fooling around.
- Rachel puts on the sweater. It's old and it's itchy and it smells like cottage cheese. Gross.
- Rachel doesn't feel eleven anymore. She feels three instead.
- All the emotions that have been building in Rachel break free. She cries those body-shaking, head-hurting sobs we all remember from when we were eleven.
- Phyllis Lopez finally remembers (admits?) the sweater is hers, and Mrs. Price gives her the red garb without a word.
- Rachel thinks about the birthday celebration to come, but she knows it is too late.
- She is eleven but wishes she was 102 and imagines she was a runaway balloon flying too far away for anybody to see her.