Breakfast was always a good time to go to Shim’l’s room. The coupons were usually in a small cardboard box under his bed.

At first, he didn’t speak about it. But I guess when it was too bad, he complained to Mommy. She looked for them all over. And I know, in my room. But I didn’t keep it in my room. 

Mommy would ask me from time to time when I heard Shim’l crying, “Berle, do you know where Shim'l's coupons are?”

I would go to the attic with the coupons late at night, look at the blueprints and try to copy them. I was never able to. On the first page, there was a square. 

I drew the first three edges of the square, and they came out right. But when I  drew the fourth edge, it came back to the wrong corner. When I checked the blueprint, the fourth edge came back to the wrong corner too. But the blueprint was right.

One day after school, I saw Totty speaking with a taller man. His jacket was slim and it had light pink diagonal lines running through it. When he saw me, he bent over and introduced himself as Tod. He shook my hand. I immediately noticed his silver watch. 

“What’s your name?”

“Berle.” 

It wasn’t completely round, it was a little oval. I wanted to see how the hands move, if the watch wasn’t round. The hands were shorter. Tod’s arms were short as well.

“Nice little boy, Berle,” he smiled.

“Berele, Tod is a big bridge engineer. And elter zeidie knew him very well.” 

Totty sat him down by the table and offered him tea. He accepted. Mommy came in with the dark purple mug and a mini spoon inside. 

“Heard the news?” Totty said, “they are draining Moss Lake so they can dig tunnels for cars.” 

Tod nodded as he held the mug to his lips. “You know, your son’s face has a certain resemblance, uh,” Tod tapped his finger on his chin, “to, your grandfather.” 

“Really? In what way,” Totty said.

“Yeah,” he glanced at his silver watch, “but the time is short.”

I still ponder about the resemblance when I look in the mirror. Maybe the eyebrows. Maybe the green eyes? Maybe the shape of my face?

Tod cleared his throat. "Can I take a look at the manuscript for a moment?"

“Sure. Let me bring it down for you now.” Totty stood up. The manuscript.

He was getting the box. I walked quickly to Mommy and Totty’s room to return the key. I tip-toed all the way inside, and put it in the second drawer. As I turned around I already heard Totty coming down the steps. 

I was just outside of the room when Totty saw me. He tightened his lips. I walked past him.

Totty came back to the table with the key that was in my pocket twenty seconds ago. And he put the box down. He inserted the key and it wasn’t opening. “Flip it over,” Mommy said. This time it opened. 

Tod stopped and his eyes were circling all around the contents in the box.

“Oh, what’s this?” Tod said.  Oh no. I didn’t move Shiml’s coupons.  “It seems like some old newspaper coupons got in here?” Totty bent over to look. Shiml’s missing coupons. All over. On top of all the blueprints. 

“Interesting,” Tod said, he held one up, “there’s also a child’s scribbles on the back of the clippings.”

No, not scribbles. I looked at my shoes. They were dark green, and one lace was untied. I knew everyone was looking at me.