Two for What?
Chapter 1The Bright Sign
Esty had made the biggest sign at the school charity sale.
TWO FOR ONE!
The letters were orange, with little green leaves around them. Beneath the sign lay a basket of small notebooks.
"Everyone will understand that," she told her friend Baila.
Mrs. Klein, wearing a navy headscarf, had put them in charge of showing the notebooks to visitors. She would handle the payments at the next table.
Esty had heard her say that a visitor who bought one notebook for two dollars could choose a second notebook free.
Two notebooks. One purchase.
Esty's sign used far fewer words.
Chapter 2One Dollar
A younger girl came over with her mother, whose headscarf matched her dark blue coat.
The girl chose a notebook with a yellow cover, then a blue one.
"One dollar for these?"
Esty smiled.
"Yes. Two for one."
Baila turned toward her.
"Wait. I think each purchase costs two dollars."
The visitor looked from Baila to the enormous sign.
"It says one."
Esty's face warmed. Her leaves and letters suddenly seemed even bigger.
"One notebook purchase," she began.
But she had already said yes to one dollar.
Chapter 3Before the Money
Baila asked Mrs. Klein to come over before anyone paid.
Mrs. Klein read the sign, then listened to the visitor.
"The price I meant was two dollars for a pair of notebooks," she said. "But our sign did not say that clearly, and Esty gave you the wrong answer. You can leave them here while we sort it out. No payment is due unless you choose to buy."
The mother set the notebooks on the table.
"Please keep the yellow one aside for a moment."
Esty wished she could fold the sign small enough to fit beneath the basket.
Chapter 4The Other End
At the far end of the table, another visitor held two notebooks.
"Are these one dollar together?"
Baila looked at Esty.
It was not only one visitor who had misunderstood.
Esty took the sign down.
"I need to change this before somebody else reads it."
Mrs. Klein nodded.
"I'll speak to the two visitors. You and Baila make the replacement."
Baila brought a fresh card.
Esty uncapped the orange marker, then paused.
"What should we write so nobody has to guess what 'one' means?"
Chapter 5A Smaller Sign
Baila wrote the words lightly in pencil first.
TWO NOTEBOOKS FOR $2.
CHOOSE ANY TWO FROM THIS BASKET.
Esty read both lines aloud.
They did not sound like a clever announcement.
They did sound like the price.
She traced the letters neatly. There was room for just two green leaves at the bottom.
Mrs. Klein checked the card before they put it up.
"Now I know what I'm getting and what it costs," she said.
Chapter 6Saying It Clearly
Mrs. Klein told the two visitors that, because of the mistaken sign and answer, she would offer each of them that pair for one dollar if they still wanted it. After those two, the price would be two dollars per pair, as shown on the new card.
They both chose to buy and paid Mrs. Klein.
Esty went to the mother with the blue coat.
"I'm sorry I told you the wrong price. I shortened the sign too much, then answered without checking."
The mother thanked her for explaining.
The younger girl held up her yellow notebook.
"The two leaves on the new sign are nice."
Chapter 7What the Sign Said
Later, a visitor picked up one notebook.
"Can I take just this one?"
Esty did not invent a new price.
"Mrs. Klein can tell you," she said, and asked her to come over.
Baila straightened the basket while they talked.
The orange sign was smaller now. Nobody had to lean over the table to see it.
A girl read it, chose two notebooks, and carried them to Mrs. Klein.
"Two dollars for these," she said.
Esty nodded.
This time, the words had done their job.
