Counting Down to the Big Slide

Counting Down to the Big Slide

The big slide at the playground was the tallest thing Nina had ever wanted to slide down. It shone red and yellow in the sun. Nina pointed at it so hard her whole arm wobbled. "That one, Abuelo! That one right now!"

Nina ran to the ladder with Duck flapping along behind her. But a line of kids stood at the bottom, curling like a sleepy snake. Nina stopped. Her shoulders drooped. "There's a line," she said, in her smallest voice.

Abuelo came slowly and knelt down until his eyes were level with hers. "Lines are long when you only look at the end," he said. "Let's count them instead. Counting makes waiting go quicker. And we'll sing while we do it." Nina thought about that. Duck quacked, which meant yes.

So Nina stepped onto the worn painted line and stayed put. In front of her stood the boy in the striped shirt, and more kids ahead of him, hopping from foot to foot. Nina looked at all the backs. "How many?" she whispered.

"Let's find out," said Abuelo. "You pick how."

While Nina waits, what does she do?