The Empty Envelope

Ages 12-15

Rozie's exhibition envelope has a blank space beneath her name.

The selected drawings are already on the school walls. Hers is not among them.

Rozie slides her drawing into the envelope and puts it in her bag.

At the exhibition entrance, she takes off her coat.

The envelope's corner rises beside the coat sleeve. Rozie pushes it down into the bag.

Inside, a classmate stands beneath her own drawing. Its little river curves around a row of houses.

Rozie stops beside it.

"How did you get that edge so thin?"

Her classmate points to the riverbank.

"A narrow brush."

Rozie looks at the small space between the water and the nearest house.

"Even there?"

The classmate nods and follows the line with one finger, without touching the paint.

Two visitors come over. Rozie moves aside so they can see.

She goes to the next drawing without taking out her envelope.

At the end, Rozie puts on her coat. She pulls the envelope from her bag just far enough to close its loose flap.

Beneath her name, its little exhibition space is still blank.