Timmy pressed a bean seed into the soft dirt. He drew a blue chalk line to mark the spot. By morning, a tiny green sprout poked through.
Timmy held his wooden ruler against the sprout. Three centimeters. He nodded, proud of his little plant.
Two weeks later, the stem reached five centimeters. Timmy drew a smiley face on the chalk line. A ladybug walked along the ruler.
By the third week, the plant was seven centimeters tall. A tiny green leaf unfurled at the top — rustle, just like paper folding.
Timmy gasped and leaned in until his nose almost touched the leaf. Then he giggled.
In the fourth week, the plant stood at nine centimeters. Timmy pressed his palm against the warm stem. A small purple flower peeked out.
Timmy picked up his three ruler drawings and held them against the plant. Four, five, seven, nine — each one telling a story.
Back at the kitchen table, Timmy spread the chalk marks and his three drawings. He ran his finger across each number. How can I put all these together? He waited, chin on his hands, already reaching for a fresh page.