Volume 3, Issue 9, page 7


OU By ARTHUR
1-111D7DEN
C !LDI
14. BUSY BN.FS WITH BLOCKS
ATYA goes PAYStonotathe bitentigon tocardboa anyrdeboax
s
she on
containing wooden blocks. But everybody pays attention to Katya. She is
nine years old. She is a mongoloid,
who has trouble keening her nose clean. She
doesn't try. Someone else must wipe tier
nose, and do it while Katya is engaged on
matters which interest her.

The wooden blocks, not quite two inches
square, interest Katya. The letters on them
do not. Not even their color, bright red,
intrigues Katya. She peers into the box of
blocks, while everybody watches. There is
some tension. Katya pulls a second box over
beside the first. She begins taking the
blocks out of the first box and putting
them into the second. There are other items
in the second box, but in these Katya shows
no interest. They help make more noise as
she flings the blocks into the second box.
The first block drops heavily. It hasn't
quite been thrown. Almost, but not quite.
Katya licks her lower lip.

The first block causes a boy to sit
back, as if he relaxed. The first block has
just not quite hit anybody. But it has hit_
and entered the second box. Katya's face is
serious. She is intent on her thoughts, if
she thinks. She reaches -- dives would perhaps'be the better word -- into the first box
again. There must be 20 blocks in the first
box, probably 26, since the blocks are alphabet blocks. But that all 26 are there
seems impossible. There should, clearly, be
something missing from block boxes in the
House on Martha Avenue, as there must be
items missing from the closets, the cupboards other storage spaces.

Probably there is nothing missing from
the house. But that some things missing
from their proper places where other things
belong seems inevitable. So Katya of the
black hair, of the moon-face, the overlarge tongue, the dusty-seated panties, the
faded green dress, the knotted thin hair
ribbon, dives in for a second block. This
time she doesn't turn all the way to throw
the block into the second box.
"Katya!" says a teacher softly. "Katya!"
Katya seems not to hear, but in the very
act of throwing the block at the second
box, and probably missing, and possibly
hitting another child, or a high window, or
anything but the box, Katya diverts her
hand and the second block crashes into the
second box.

A boy, another mongoloid, moves to the
second box. Something has occurred to him,
a good idea. He will throw the blocks back.
into the first box as fast as Katya can
throw them into the second box. The teacher
hesitates. One can see that she ponders
just what is the right thing to do.

A 11
J. BURKS WIurt Cui. Se Done
Aiaut tAe 5.euutie Iha!gedicd..&
This is a continuation of the yz
l es in which Mr. . Burks analyzes
es
life in the Child Guidance Center,
Lancaster, Penn. These are only a
few of oue estimated 4,000,000
E "genetic tragedies', one or more
of f whom could b be next door to you