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“Have you ever played chess, Kitty?”
I eyed her. What did a board game have to do with this? “Not really.”
“You and I should play sometime. I think you would like it,” she said. “It’s a game of strategy, mostly. The strong pieces are in the back row, while the weak pieces—the pawns—are all in the front, ready to take the brunt of the attack. Because of their limited movement and vulnerability, most people underestimate them and only use them to protect the more powerful pieces. But when I play, I protect my pawns.”
“Why?” I said, not entirely sure where this conversation was going. “If they’re weak, then what’s the point?”
“They may be weak when the game begins, but their potential is remarkable. Most of the time, they’ll be taken by the other side and held captive until the end of the game. But if you’re careful—if you keep your eyes open and pay attention to what your opponent is doing, if you protect your pawns and they reach the other side of the board, do you know what happens then?”
I shook my head, and she smiled.
“Your pawn becomes a queen.” She touched my cheek, her fingers cold as ice. “Because they kept moving forward and triumphed against impossible odds, they become the most powerful piece in the game. Never forget that, all right? Never forget the potential one solitary pawn has to change the entire game.”
― Pawn
I eyed her. What did a board game have to do with this? “Not really.”
“You and I should play sometime. I think you would like it,” she said. “It’s a game of strategy, mostly. The strong pieces are in the back row, while the weak pieces—the pawns—are all in the front, ready to take the brunt of the attack. Because of their limited movement and vulnerability, most people underestimate them and only use them to protect the more powerful pieces. But when I play, I protect my pawns.”
“Why?” I said, not entirely sure where this conversation was going. “If they’re weak, then what’s the point?”
“They may be weak when the game begins, but their potential is remarkable. Most of the time, they’ll be taken by the other side and held captive until the end of the game. But if you’re careful—if you keep your eyes open and pay attention to what your opponent is doing, if you protect your pawns and they reach the other side of the board, do you know what happens then?”
I shook my head, and she smiled.
“Your pawn becomes a queen.” She touched my cheek, her fingers cold as ice. “Because they kept moving forward and triumphed against impossible odds, they become the most powerful piece in the game. Never forget that, all right? Never forget the potential one solitary pawn has to change the entire game.”
― Pawn
“The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
[State of the Union Address January 11 1962]”
―
[State of the Union Address January 11 1962]”
―
“When a poet digs himself into a hole, he doesn't climb out. He digs deeper, enjoys the scenery, and comes out the other side enlightened.”
― Venus in Arms
― Venus in Arms
BSHS: English 10 2015-2016
— 64 members
— last activity Apr 17, 2016 08:43AM
A place for our class to meet online and share the books we read during the 2015-2016 school year.
A place for our class to meet online and share the books we read during the 2015-2016 school year.
Books on Tap at the East Lansing Public Library
— 12 members
— last activity Nov 02, 2010 11:22AM
Books on Tap is a new book group that combines good books, food, drink, and conversation together in a laid back atmosphere. Books on Tap meets at Dub ...more
Books on Tap is a new book group that combines good books, food, drink, and conversation together in a laid back atmosphere. Books on Tap meets at Dub ...more
Parents of Tweens (9-14)
— 539 members
— last activity Aug 28, 2024 04:46AM
Book recommendations and discussions for tweens, parents of tweens, and tween lit enthusiasts.
Book recommendations and discussions for tweens, parents of tweens, and tween lit enthusiasts.
Wild Things: YA Grown-Up
— 2442 members
— last activity Mar 24, 2022 06:18PM
Welcome to Wild Things: YA Grown-Up! Important Information: This group is for mature, grown up discussions of all books included under the term 'Young ...more
Welcome to Wild Things: YA Grown-Up! Important Information: This group is for mature, grown up discussions of all books included under the term 'Young ...more
Addicted to YA
— 65487 members
— last activity 46 minutes ago
“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put bac ...more
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“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put bac ...more
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Take a look at Jerry’s Year in Books. The good, the bad, the long, the short—it’s all here.
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