The Small Voice at the Map Desk

Chapter 1A Map with Little Pictures

The museum had a room full of wooden clocks, a room full of old tools, and a desk full of paper maps.

Motti wanted the map with little pictures. Totty had shown him one at the entrance. Beside each room was a drawing of something you could find inside.

At the desk, the top stack had only room names and numbers.

"Ask for the picture map," Totty said.

Motti looked at the man behind the desk. The man was sorting folded papers.

Motti's older brother Yitzchok stepped forward.

Motti stepped back.

Chapter 2The Helpful Brother

"You want me to ask?" Yitzchok said.

Motti nodded, then stopped.

Yitzchok always asked. At the bakery, he asked which rolls were still warm. At the coat counter, he asked where to put a missing hanger.

Motti could speak perfectly well to Yitzchok. His voice became small when someone unfamiliar looked at him.

Totty did not hurry him. "We can stand here a moment."

Motti read the desk sign again. Maps and information.

The man was there to answer questions. That did not make Motti's stomach stop fluttering.

Chapter 3Under His Breath

"Do you have the picture map?" Motti whispered to Yitzchok.

"I don't. But he might."

Motti gave his brother a sideways look.

Yitzchok smiled. "That sounded clear. Try it facing the desk."

Motti held the plain map so tightly that one corner bent.

He loosened his hand and smoothed the corner against his coat.

Then he moved forward.

"Do you have the picture map?"

The man looked up. "The upstairs rooms are on the other side."

Chapter 4Not Quite the Answer

Motti turned the plain map over. More names. More numbers. No little pictures.

He could take it and leave. Perhaps asking twice would annoy the man.

Yitzchok waited beside him without speaking.

Motti looked at Totty. Totty nodded toward the map in his hand.

Motti set it on the desk.

"I mean the map with drawings beside the rooms. Is there one?"

The man pushed his folded papers aside.

"Ah, the children's picture map. Yes. I thought you were asking where the upper rooms were."

Chapter 5The Lower Shelf

The man reached to a shelf below the desk and brought out a thin stack.

On the front page was a wooden clock with a face like the one in the first room.

"This one?"

Motti nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"You are welcome. The clocks are straight ahead."

Motti carried the map away from the desk. He had not spoken very loudly. His knees had felt strange the whole time.

Still, the man had understood the second question, and Motti had the map he wanted.

Yitzchok pointed to a tiny drawing of a hand drill.

"You can find that one before I do."

Chapter 6A Clock with No Hands

In the clock room, Motti found a clock case with no hands on its face.

The little picture on the map showed hands.

He studied the case. No hands hidden at the side. No hands at the bottom.

A museum guide stood near the doorway.

Motti took two steps toward him, then came back for Totty.

"Could you stand beside me? I want to ask about the clock."

"Yes."

The guide bent a little so he could hear.

Motti pointed. "Why doesn't that clock have hands?"

Chapter 7What Was Removed

The guide explained that the hands had been taken off while part of the clock was being repaired.

"It will look like your picture again when they are put back."

Motti thanked him.

Yitzchok joined them with a question about the largest clock. This time Motti did not need him to ask first.

Before leaving, Motti unfolded the picture map one more time. The bent corner was still bent.

He liked it that way. He knew exactly what he had been holding when he asked his first question.