The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

At lunch, Tommy continues to bug Dwight about Sara, and Dwight continues to say, “Purple.” Tommy finally blurts out, “Yoda, why can’t you stop Dwight from being such a loser?” (114). Dwight, angry, says, “Gotta be normal,” pulls Yoda off his finger, crumples him up, and throws him in the trash (115). Tommy tries to retrieve Yoda, but the crushed paper is hopelessly mangled and damp with somebody’s baked beans.

Harvey says, “Hallelujah!,” but the other boys are upset. A girl, Lisa, walks over with a question for Yoda; Dwight says Yoda is dead; he begins sobbing uncontrollably. Lisa, nonplussed, walks away. Kellen asks Dwight to make a new Yoda, but Dwight says he can’t remember how. He cries through lunch.

Harvey comments: “Best. Lunch. Ever.” Tommy calls Harvey annoying, but he allows him to write his own chapter. He warns readers that it’s “unscientific” and “totally lies” (116).

Harvey decides to make his own Origami Yoda. He looks origami up online, finds instructions, and painstakingly works out how to fold it properly. He brings the puppet to school, where, he claims, all the boys like the puppet much better than Dwight’s. Tommy says Harvey must be an expert.