Eighth grader Tod Munn is writing in a journal as punishment for a mysterious behavioral incident. In this entry, Tod describes regularly bullying another student named Ricardo. Tod thinks that Ricardo is fat and stupid. He knocked Ricardo down, broke his glasses, but then helped him up. The chapter ends as the narrative cuts off midsentence.

The narrative jumps back to the previous week before the incident with Ricardo. Tod introduces himself to his reader, Mrs. Woodrow. She is the no-nonsense guidance counselor who is supervising his month-long after-school punishment and reading the journal. He reveals that he has accepted this punishment as an alternative to picking up trash like his friends who were also involved in the incident that led to this punishment. Mrs. Woodrow has instructed Tod to write about anything, and she leaves notes for him in the margins. Tod describes his hatred of his desk, his homework, and the classroom clock and blackboard until he meets his word count requirement.

The next day, Mrs. Woodrow has left an encouraging message for Tod in the journal, inviting him to reply to her marginal notes only in writing.