The Smudged Score

Chapter 1Three Chalk Lines

Yossi and Leib played beanbag toss in the courtyard, with the target tray set on the ground.

They stood behind the same chalk line. A beanbag that landed in the tray earned one mark on the small chalkboard.

"First to five," Yossi said.

They took turns. The beanbags were soft, the tray stayed clear of the doorway, and Totty watched from the bench while sorting a basket of outdoor toys.

Soon Yossi had three marks. Leib had two.

Then Yossi's elbow brushed the chalkboard as he reached for a beanbag.

Chapter 2The Gray Streak

Yossi did not notice the smudge until two turns later.

On his side of the board, a gray streak crossed several marks.

"I think I have four," he said.

Leib studied it. "I thought you had three."

"I got one after you got your last one."

"But one of those marks could be the edge of the streak."

Yossi tried to count. Two marks were clear. The rest looked like a little fence in fog.

He remembered getting a point. He also remembered wanting to get one on the turn before that.

Chapter 3The Winning Toss

Yossi's next beanbag landed in the tray.

"Five!"

Leib looked at the chalkboard again.

"Or four."

Yossi's smile tightened. He had made a good toss. It was unfair that the score had gone fuzzy just before he won.

He could insist. Leib could not prove he had only three before the toss.

But Yossi could not prove four, either.

Totty looked over from the bench.

"Do you both know the score?"

Neither boy answered at once.

Chapter 4What They Could Say

"I know that toss went in," Yossi said.

"Yes," Leib agreed.

"I do not know what the smudged part said before it."

Leib relaxed his shoulders.

"Neither do I."

Yossi pointed to the board. "My sleeve might have done it. I reached across here."

He rubbed his elbow. It had a pale chalk stripe.

Leib laughed. "Your elbow is keeping its own score."

Yossi smiled, although he still wished the last toss could settle everything.

Chapter 5A Short New Round

They did not want to spend the whole afternoon arguing about a mark neither could read.

"New round to three?" Leib asked.

Yossi picked up the beanbags. "Both scores start at zero?"

"Both."

They wiped the board. Totty helped place it on the bench, away from swinging elbows.

For the new round, each boy named the score after the other made a mark.

"Yossi, one. Leib, zero."

The numbers were clear enough that neither boy had to guess.

Chapter 6Not the Same Ending

Leib's third beanbag stayed in the tray.

Yossi looked at the board. Three clear marks on Leib's side. Two on his own.

"You won this round," he said.

It was not the ending he had wanted after his good toss in the first game.

Leib handed him a beanbag.

"Your last shot was still good."

"So was that one."

Yossi tried another practice toss. It bounced on the tray's edge and fell out.

"That one was less good," he said.

Leib laughed.

Chapter 7The Clear Board

Yossi wiped the board. Nobody had won the smudged round, but there had still been good throws.

Totty pointed at Yossi's sleeve. "Does your elbow want another game?"

"No. It needs washing."

Tomorrow they could play with the board safely on the bench.