The Dog at the Gate

Ages 12-15

Michal has made twelve little booklets.

None is fastened yet. She has put a ruler on top of the pile to hold them flat while she waits for the teacher to bring the long stapler.

The class has written a short story for the younger girls to read. Debby drew its pictures. Nomi copied the words neatly.

Each booklet has three folded sheets. The outside one has a green border. The other two fit inside it.

Michal folds another green sheet.

Debby takes a booklet from under the ruler.

"Let me see the umbrella picture."

She turns past the cover. Then she stops.

"What happened to the dog?"

"He finds the girl by the gate."

"He's in the yard already."

Michal looks over. There he is, underneath a tree.

Debby turns another leaf.

The dog is outside the gate again.

"Nomi must have copied it wrong," Michal says.

Nomi pulls her chair closer.

"That's where he waits for her."

"But he was in the yard."

"He comes to the yard later."

Michal takes the next booklet from the pile. The dog stands by the same tree. Then he is at the gate again.

"Look."

"I see it," Nomi says.

The ruler is still on top of ten more copies.

Michal wants to lift the two bad ones away and finish the others. She has been working while the other girls put away their paints.

Debby opens the booklet flat at the middle. Michal sees the two plain sheets, one tucked inside the other.

"I drew him at the tree for the end," Debby says.

Michal lifts out the innermost sheet. The girl and her umbrella are on its other side.

She swaps the two plain sheets, tucking the one that was outside into the other, and fits both back into the green cover.

The folds meet.

She turns the cover.

The girl leaves the house. The dog waits by the gate. The girl opens her umbrella. At the end, they reach the yard together.

Michal looks at the pile.

Nomi says nothing.

"I shouldn't have said you copied it wrong."

"You could have asked me."

"Yes."

The teacher comes back carrying the stapler. Michal moves the ruler off the booklets.

"They're not ready yet. I need to change where the inside sheets go."

The teacher sets the stapler at her own desk.

Michal puts the repaired booklet beside the teacher's stapler. She opens each remaining booklet herself. She lifts out its center sheet, opens it, and puts the other plain sheet inside it. She fits both back into the cover.

All eleven need changing.

She returns to the booklet beside the stapler and turns every leaf.

The dog leaves the gate. The girl carries the umbrella. They reach the tree together.

Michal takes the booklet to the teacher's desk. The teacher presses the long stapler down at the fold.

Michal opens the fastened booklet. She turns from the dog at the gate to the girl opening her umbrella, and then to the tree.