The Short Loop

Ages 9-12

Yedidya puts a folded game card on Hillel's desk.

"Read that while I get another boy. The counters are in my bag."

The cloth bag lies beside the card. A narrow cloth cord runs through its gathered top. Its ends are tied into a loop.

Hillel slips two fingers through the loop and pulls.

The cloth tears across his fingers.

He is holding two frayed ends. The top of the bag is still gathered shut.

Hillel looks toward the doorway. Yedidya is talking to a boy from the next table.

He loosens the cloth at the bag's opening. Then he brings the torn ends together and ties them in a knot.

One end sticks out farther than the other. Hillel takes the classroom scissors and trims it. A short frayed offcut falls beside the folded game card.

He puts the scissors back. He pulls the knot gently, then tries the opening. The bag opens. He gathers it shut again.

Yedidya comes back with the other boy.

Hillel lifts the bag. He turns its knotted loop toward them.

Yedidya takes one side of the loop and looks at it.

"That was broken. Hillel fixed it for me."

The other boy leans closer.

Hillel keeps the knot held up. He turns it so the cut end lies underneath.

Yedidya reaches for the bag's opening.

Hillel lowers it to the desk.

He picks up the offcut and lays it beside the knot.

"I tore it when I opened it."

Yedidya puts two fingers into the shorter loop. He loosens the gathered cloth, then tips the counters onto his own side of the desk.

The other boy draws up a chair.

The folded game card is still on Hillel's desk.

He reaches for it, but Yedidya has put the first counters into two rows. The other boy takes one from the near row and sets it in the middle.

Hillel gathers the little threads from around the knot. He brushes them into his palm and puts them in the scrap bin.

The frayed offcut stays beside the unopened game card.