The List That Nearly Beat Me

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Every word, start to finish. The pictures come next — painted around your child, from one photo.

1. For Theo, who got to the end of it.

   For Amara, who got to the end of it.

   For Otto, who got to the end of it.

   Dedication

2. Theo was up first, which never happens. The kitchen was gray and quiet, the kettle cold, and on the counter lay the list, folded over twice, worn soft at the creases. Mom's list. The famous one.

   Amara was up first, which never happens. The kitchen was gray and quiet, the kettle cold, and on the counter lay the list, folded over twice, worn soft at the creases. Mom's list. The famous one.

   Otto was up first, which never happens. The kitchen was gray and quiet, the kettle cold, and on the counter lay the list, folded over twice, worn soft at the creases. Mom's list. The famous one.

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3. Theo unfolded it. It kept unfolding. Then it kept unrolling: down the hall, out the door, along the fence, around the corner by the mailbox. Somewhere past the neighbor's driveway it was still going.

   Amara unfolded it. It kept unfolding. Then it kept unrolling: down the hall, out the door, along the fence, around the corner by the mailbox. Somewhere past the neighbor's driveway it was still going.

   Otto unfolded it. It kept unfolding. Then it kept unrolling: down the hall, out the door, along the fence, around the corner by the mailbox. Somewhere past the neighbor's driveway it was still going.

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4. There was one morning to beat it, and it was this one. Theo started at the top and went fast. Laundry. Toast. Dog. Trash. The toast went slightly wrong, and counted anyway.

   There was one morning to beat it, and it was this one. Amara started at the top and went fast. Laundry. Toast. Dog. Trash. The toast went slightly wrong, and counted anyway.

   There was one morning to beat it, and it was this one. Otto started at the top and went fast. Laundry. Toast. Dog. Trash. The toast went slightly wrong, and counted anyway.

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5. Three ticks, in his best checkmark style. But a list like this does not sit still. While he was ticking, four more items wrote themselves in further down, in quick quiet ink.

   Three ticks, in her best checkmark style. But a list like this does not sit still. While she was ticking, four more items wrote themselves in further down, in quick quiet ink.

   Three ticks, in his best checkmark style. But a list like this does not sit still. While he was ticking, four more items wrote themselves in further down, in quick quiet ink.

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6. So Theo tried scissors. If a list is too long, make it shorter: it seemed reasonable at the time, standing there in pajamas with half the morning gone.

   So Amara tried scissors. If a list is too long, make it shorter: it seemed reasonable at the time, standing there in pajamas with half the morning gone.

   So Otto tried scissors. If a list is too long, make it shorter: it seemed reasonable at the time, standing there in pajamas with half the morning gone.

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7. Now there were two lists. Both of them busy. Both of them filling. Theo put the scissors back in the drawer and did not mention them to anyone.

   Now there were two lists. Both of them busy. Both of them filling. Amara put the scissors back in the drawer and did not mention them to anyone.

   Now there were two lists. Both of them busy. Both of them filling. Otto put the scissors back in the drawer and did not mention them to anyone.

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8. By nine thirty Theo was out of ideas, out of toast, and sitting on the doorstep with a pencil. The list had reached the bus stop. Upstairs, any minute now, Mom would wake up.

   By nine thirty Amara was out of ideas, out of toast, and sitting on the doorstep with a pencil. The list had reached the bus stop. Upstairs, any minute now, Mom would wake up.

   By nine thirty Otto was out of ideas, out of toast, and sitting on the doorstep with a pencil. The list had reached the bus stop. Upstairs, any minute now, Mom would wake up.

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9. You cannot finish a list from the top. Theo decided to see how it ended instead, and walked the whole length of it, past the bus stop, reading as he went. It was mostly other people's jobs.

   You cannot finish a list from the top. Amara decided to see how it ended instead, and walked the whole length of it, past the bus stop, reading as she went. It was mostly other people's jobs.

   You cannot finish a list from the top. Otto decided to see how it ended instead, and walked the whole length of it, past the bus stop, reading as he went. It was mostly other people's jobs.

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10. The end of the list lay in the grass by the crosswalk. The last item was in different handwriting, much older, never ticked. *Sit down for five minutes.*

    The end of the list lay in the grass by the crosswalk. The last item was in different handwriting, much older, never ticked. *Sit down for five minutes.*

    The end of the list lay in the grass by the crosswalk. The last item was in different handwriting, much older, never ticked. *Sit down for five minutes.*

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11. Theo read it twice, sitting on his heels in the morning sun. It had been at the bottom the whole time, waiting its turn behind everything. The list stopped writing itself, and waited too.

    Amara read it twice, sitting on her heels in the morning sun. It had been at the bottom the whole time, waiting its turn behind everything. The list stopped writing itself, and waited too.

    Otto read it twice, sitting on his heels in the morning sun. It had been at the bottom the whole time, waiting its turn behind everything. The list stopped writing itself, and waited too.

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12. Theo walked home rolling the whole thing up, a roll as fat as a spare tire, and pushed it into the closet. Then he made a cup of tea, quietly, the way Mom makes them for everybody else.

    Amara walked home rolling the whole thing up, a roll as fat as a spare tire, and pushed it into the closet. Then she made a cup of tea, quietly, the way Mom makes them for everybody else.

    Otto walked home rolling the whole thing up, a roll as fat as a spare tire, and pushed it into the closet. Then he made a cup of tea, quietly, the way Mom makes them for everybody else.

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13. They sat on the sofa and did nothing at all, together. Five minutes. Then eleven. Nobody mentioned the list in the closet. Theo ticked the last item off himself, which is allowed.

    They sat on the sofa and did nothing at all, together. Five minutes. Then eleven. Nobody mentioned the list in the closet. Amara ticked the last item off herself, which is allowed.

    They sat on the sofa and did nothing at all, together. Five minutes. Then eleven. Nobody mentioned the list in the closet. Otto ticked the last item off himself, which is allowed.

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