A Little Game Page #3

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bumping into

each other every day

in different ways,

always changing,

just like

a chessboard.

What do you mean?

For instance, I already

told you pawns are like kids.

So this pawn is you.

You just started

a new school,

so you move forward.

How'd you know

I started a new school?

Your fancy new duds, and you

don't look very comfortable in 'em.

Only, you're not sure

about this new school,

so you only go one square

forward instead of two.

Once you take your hand off

the piece, your move is done.

It's my turn.

I'm playing against you?

You're not playing yet.

You're just

moving the pieces.

Come back tomorrow.

One move a day

is plenty.

One move a day?

Come on!

Go.

Okay, class,

open to page 41,

geography.

Today we're talking about

the United States of America,

but we're talking about

all of the Americas,

which includes...

Hold on

just one second.

Hi.

Hi. Yes.

Go away. Go away.

Go away. Go away.

Go away. Go away.

Go away.

Thank God.

Max, your father wants you to

wait for him here after class.

Class!

Girls, enough!

Let's get back

to the lesson, okay?

You know, my bedroom window's stuck.

Maybe your dad can come

over later and fix it.

Maxie.

It's Yaya.

Hi.

Listen, honey, I know

you're having a tough time,

but it'll get better.

I promise.

I was just

thinking about

how things always change, you know?

I was thinking about

how we're all born,

and then we get

older and older, until...

I can't stop

thinking about it.

I see.

Well, you know I'm always

gonna be here for you,

and Mama's always

gonna be here for you.

Not always.

As long as you need us,

we'll be here.

I'm gonna sit

over there for a bit

if that's okay with you.

All right?

That's right.

Another kid's

coming at you.

What do you mean?

This is you, right?

You've stepped out

on your own,

out onto an island

a little bit,

and you could move further on your own,

but that'd

be stupid, right?

Even you

can see that.

So you take

your best friend,

bring her up

next to you.

I don't have

a best friend.

Then any friend you have

at that new school.

I don't have any.

You don't have any?

Then you

better get some.

You can't win a chess

game with just one piece.

Well, there's

my little sister.

That's pathetic.

But you gotta

move something.

Not that your little sis

can help you much over there.

Look, your board

is your city,

and your city

is your board.

You understand?

No.

Never mind.

That's enough for today.

Get out of here.

You can't just keep

moving your little sister.

Well, I'm thinking about

going back to my old school.

I have friends there.

They kicking you out

of that fancy new place?

No. I just don't know if it's

the right school for me.

So you're

just gonna quit

before you give it

a fair chance.

Right.

That's a great idea.

You're behind,

so you should quit now.

I didn't say

I was quitting.

Thinking about quitting

is the same as quitting.

Maybe you should just go

play checkers instead.

They play a lot of

checkers in Westchester.

Did you ever notice that Miss

Bailes looks like a walrus?

Heh. Not before,

but now I won't be able to

observe her without laughing.

Thanks a lot.

That's Becky.

She's got my back.

One final thing

about pawns.

If a pawn manages

to do something great,

if it gets all the way

to the other side,

then it changes,

turns into a queen.

So a worthless little kid

can turn into a queen.

Interesting.

Don't get too excited.

It almost never happens.

Okay, now that you're actually

moving more than one piece,

you gotta think

strategically.

Strategically?

Yeah, you need a plan.

When you walk out the door,

you have a plan, right?

You don't

just walk outside

and wander around,

do you?

Uh, no.

No.

So, what's your plan?

Um...

to move me

and my friends forward?

All right.

I guess that's a plan,

barely,

but you gotta keep

an eye on the board,

come up with a new plan

if things change.

But things always change.

That's right.

Things always change.

So what do you do

about that?

I mean, what if you don't

want things to change?

Tough.

Forget it.

I don't know why

I would ask you.

Hey, listen.

Change isn't

a bad thing.

Sometimes it is.

Man, when was the last

time we had a date night?

I don't know. 1998?

Oh, it feels that way,

doesn't it?

It probably

has been a year.

That's so bad.

No, it's not bad.

We're busy.

Yeah. Everybody's busy,

but you make time

for the things

that are important,

and, you know, I can certainly

take a night off every six months.

You're not worried about

the babysitter, are you?

No. No, no, no.

She's fine.

Come on.

Okay.

I told you

not to move!

You're a closet.

Closets don't move.

She's right.

Closets don't move.

Dad?

Mom?

Are you asleep?

Why don't you answer?

Yaya?

Shh.

Don't wake up

your sister.

Go back to sleep.

But you're dead.

Tell me something

I don't know.

What are you doing here?

Sitting with you.

What, that's a problem?

Uh, no. No.

I got no other plans,

and I gotta keep an eye

on that lazy father

of yours.

He's not lazy.

Well... Heh.

Go back to sleep.

Yaya?

Still here.

You know, if you were

anyone else sitting there,

I'd be pretty scared

right now.

I mean, you're dead.

That would be

really scary,

to have a dead person

sitting in my room.

Mm, yes, that would

be really scary.

S- So are you a ghost?

No. No, no.

You know

better than that.

I'm just a pigment

of your imagination.

I always thought

the word was "figment. "

Maxine,

you don't correct Yayas.

Okay.

Well, good night, Yaya.

Good night,

matia mou.

Hey, that's weird.

Look at Olive.

Yeah.

Why isn't she

with the rest

of her

catastrophic friends?

Go over

and talk to her.

Why?

You go over and

talk to her if you want.

No, you do it.

You're prettier than me.

She'll like you better.

Okay.

Tell her you like

her drawings.

She's proud of them.

Cool.

Cool animals.

So...

any ideas

on your move?

Why do you seem

so excited today?

You're never excited.

Because I see a piece

that's been left out

alone to fend for itself.

So what are

you gonna do?

Becky's gonna take it...

like she took Olive.

Wow.

Downtown.

I've been downtown,

like, twice in my life.

What's it like

down there?

It must be mesmerizing.

It's nice.

I mean, it's a little busier

than it is up here.

I wish I lived downtown.

And I cannot believe

your parents

let you ride home on

the subway by yourself.

That is

totally scintillating.

I guess.

There's no way my mom

would let me do that.

I'm not allowed on the

streets without a grown-up,

and she won't let me

ride the subway at all.

You've never been

on the subway?

Nobody I know

gets to ride the subway.

So do you want to come over to my

place with your nanny on Friday?

Uh, why don't we

go somewhere fun instead?

Home is so boring.

Yeah,

that's a stunning idea!

Your nanny can take us and drop

me off at home when we're done.

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