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scratching inside it, something alive. ‘What do you have in there, Kim? We don’t generally allow students to bring livestock into college. Petty rule, really. To my mind, there’s nothing like a few chickens pecking about the classroom to give it some character.’
    â€˜This is gift for you, Mr Rook,’ said Kim. He lifted up the basket and set it down on Jim’s desk.
    Jim said, ‘I’m sorry, Kim. I can’t accept gifts from students. Might be seen as bribery. Maybe an apple now and again, or a slice of pepperoni pizza. But not this, whatever it is.’
    â€˜This is not gift from me, Mr Rook. This is gift from Kwisin.’
    â€˜Kwisin? Who’s that?’
    â€˜Please to open it, Mr Rook.’
    â€˜Kim, I can’t. You’ll just have to take it back where it came from.’
    â€˜Not possible, Mr Rook. Once Kwisin has given gift, it cannot be returned.’
    T.D. called out, ‘Come on, sir! Open it up, why don’t you? Let’s see what’s in there. Might be a beaver! Me, I love beavers!’
    â€˜Yeah, come on, sir,’ Arthur urged him. ‘Can’t hurt to take a look.’
    Jim stood up. ‘OK,’ he agreed, ‘I’ll open it up just to see what it is. But I can’t keep it. Faculty rules.’
    Kim unfastened the cord that held the lid on the basket. Then he took two steps back, and bowed his head again.
    There was more scratching, and the basket rattled and creaked on top of Jim’s desk. Whatever was inside it was obviously impatient to be let out. Jim said, ‘This isn’t dangerous, is it? It’s not a polecat or anything like that?’
    Kim said nothing, and his expression remained unreadable.
    Jim lifted the lid at arm’s length, prepared to jump backward if the creature inside the basket sprang out at him. But it didn’t. Once he had removed the lid and set it down on the desk, it simply sat there and stared at him with narrowed eyes.
    Jim looked at Kim and he found it almost impossible to speak. Kim Dong Wook bowed his head for a third time and said, ‘Gift from Kwisin, Mr Rook. Given with gratitude and deep respect.’
    â€˜How is this possible?’ said Jim. ‘How the hell can this be?’
    â€˜All things are possible,’ said Kim.
    Jim reached inside the basket and lifted Tibbles out. Jim’s heart was thumping but Tibbles seemed to be unimpressed. He gave Jim one of his usual condescending looks and then turned his head to take in Special Class Two.
    â€˜Well, I was nearly right!’ said T.D., popping his fingers. ‘It’s not a beaver, but it’s a pussy!’
    â€˜He’s dead , for Christ’s sake,’ Jim told Kim, under his breath, so that nobody else in the classroom could hear him. ‘Where did you find him? How did he come back to life?’
    â€˜Maybe not same cat, Mr Rook.’
    â€˜Of course he’s the same goddamned cat!’ Jim hissed at him. ‘You think I don’t recognize my own cat? He’s still wearing his collar! Look at it! Look what it says here! Tibbles ! That’s my cat!’
    â€˜Gift from Kwisin, Mr Rook. Not dead now. Door close, door open.’
    â€˜Oh, just look at it!’ squeaked a blonde-haired girl in the second row, sitting in front of T.D. Her name was Judii Rogers, although Jim had already nicknamed her Calamity Jane because of her tight denim vest with silver stars on it, and her tiny denim skirt, and her white boots with fringes on them. ‘It’s so totally cute ! Can I take it home with me?’
    Tibbles looked across at her with an expression of deep disdain. Jim said, ‘That’s it,’ and lowered Tibbles back into the basket. Tibbles tried to cling on to the sides, but Jim forced him down, gently at first and then much harder, and replaced the lid, tying the cord securely. Tibbles gave his distinctive ‘ warrooow ’ mew, which meant that he was