The Word Beneath the Fold

Ages 9-12

Gedalia folds the lower half of his paper upward.

Inside the fold, he has drawn a table with three plates. Beneath it he writes TABLE.

On the outside, he writes: I have four legs and cannot walk. What am I?

At classroom break, he sets the paper in front of his friend.

"I made this one."

His friend reads it.

"A chair."

Gedalia writes Wrong under the clue.

"Try again."

His friend points to the chair under Gedalia.

"Four legs. It doesn't walk."

Gedalia keeps the fold pressed flat against the desk.

"Four legs," he says, louder.

"I heard."

"You can still try."

"I don't want another try."

His friend opens his reading book.

Gedalia lifts the fold.

The three plates stand above the word TABLE. He looks down at his chair. He touches one front leg with his shoe, then turns enough to see the back ones.

He puts his pencil over Wrong.

He draws a line through it.

Beneath TABLE, he writes CHAIR.

His friend is halfway down a page. Gedalia leaves the book alone and smooths the paper along its crease.

Another boy comes to their desk.

"What did you make?"

Gedalia folds the lower half up again and turns the clue toward him.

The boy reads.

"A chair?"

Gedalia opens the fold. The three plates sit above TABLE and CHAIR.