The Second Fold

Ages 15-18

Yehudah puts a pencil dot beside CLOCKS.

The other line on the ballot says BRIDGES. Both topics are approved for the class exhibition. The boys will choose one and prepare separate displays about it.

"No names," the teacher says. "Fold your paper twice and put it in the box. You don't have to show anyone your choice."

Yehudah, seventeen, folds his paper once. The mark disappears inside.

Beside him, his friend has drawn a tiny clock in the margin of his notebook. Its hands point straight up.

"We could draw the big clock face together," the friend says. "If clocks wins."

"I'd like that."

Yehudah puts his thumb against the folded edge.

"Wait," his friend says. "Show me which one you picked."

"We're folding them."

"Just me. Then I'll know you're with me."

Yehudah lifts the loose corner. His pencil dot is under it.

His friend opens his own paper first.

"See? Clocks. Now yours."

Yehudah lowers the corner.

"I won't show mine. You don't have to show yours either."

His friend leaves the paper open between them.

"So you picked bridges."

Yehudah looks at the little clock in the notebook. He can picture filling its great round face, his friend marking the numbers while he draws the hands.

"I'm not showing the paper."

"Fine. Draw with somebody else."

The friend pulls his notebook away and goes back to his desk.

Yehudah holds the half-folded ballot.

Across the room, two boys drop their papers into the collection box. Its slot is narrow. One folded paper sticks halfway through until a boy folds it again.

Yehudah presses his second fold flat.

He carries the paper to the box and lets it fall through.

Two teachers count the ballots together. Bridges has more votes.

Yehudah watches his friend close the notebook over the clock.

The teacher puts the counted ballots in an envelope and sets out the bridge project sheets. The class teacher assigns the working pairs.

Yehudah's partner is the boy beside the window.

"Can you draw the river?" the boy asks.

"Yes. Where does the bank end?"

They check the project sketch together. Yehudah marks the edge lightly before reaching for a blue pencil.

His friend passes their desk on the way to the supply shelf.

"You chose bridges, didn't you?" he says.

Yehudah's hand stops over the pencil tray.

The envelope is still on the teacher's desk.

"I'm keeping my choice private," he says.

His friend takes a ruler from the shelf and returns to his own partner.

Yehudah picks up the blue pencil.

His friend comes back and sets the clock notebook at the edge of the desk.

"Can I have the blue after you?"

Yehudah nods.

"Here?" his partner asks, pointing to the bank.

Yehudah moves the sketch beside their sheet and draws the river up to the penciled edge.