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Chessville
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A Fool Proof Plan
I smiled. A few of the guys come over to my house after school each day. Sometimes we do homework. Sometimes we study. Adam likes to play chess against my brother, Jon. “Really. You have to do something. So far he’s beaten me in two moves, three moves, four moves, five moves and six moves.” “He’s almost up to your I.Q.,” one of the guys razzed, tossing an eraser. “Maybe you should play against his sister,” someone quipped, and that started a round of laughter. Not very likely, that, I thought. Mary Elizabeth spent her afternoons online, in the next room, checking out all the Harry Potter internet websites. I took pity on Adam, and decided to help. I arranged for the next game to be played in the kitchen, where Jon could be distracted by a large pile of cookies. To even the odds a bit more, I pointed out to my friend that the tiled floor could be used as an imaginary chessboard. I’d stay in the room when he and Jon played, close enough to see the game. If he needed help, Adam could look my way, and I would show him what move to make by casually walking from one tile to another, as if I were the piece making the move, myself. He could watch, then make the same move on his board. It was a fool-proof plan. After all, I always beat my brother at chess. Once the game got started, Jon always seemed to have a piece in one hand and a cookie in the other. The few times he looked my way, I pretended to inspect my fingernails or brush some crumbs off of my shirt. His unsuspecting glances flew right by me. Adam looked up when he needed help, and I silently showed him my best suggestion. He then went back to studying the board as seriously as ever, and made our move. Adam lost the game. Even with my help, he lost the game. Things fell apart at the end. I couldn’t figure it out. It had been a fool-proof plan. “Thanks,” muttered Adam. “You’re welcome,” I said. “Thanks,” muttered Jon. “You’re welcome,” said Mary Elizabeth. How long had my sister been standing in the doorway behind me? What had she been up to? I thought she had been on the computer all the time we guys were playing “our” game. Unless… Fool-proof plan, indeed! Index of Fiction at Chessville
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The Chessville
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