Question 1 of 16 · Literary reading
Literary meaning and character · Curriculum connections: 5R1, 5R2, 5R3
The Empty Seat — original fictional first-person story
Original classroom text; all characters, events, organizations, and reported trial results are fictional.
Scene 1: Rehearsal. I had measured the chairs three times, placing each at the same distance from the next. Our class orchestra would play in the town hall, and I wanted the stage to look orderly. When Elena asked for a wider space near the end of the row, I pointed to my ruler. “Everyone has the same amount,” I said. She glanced toward the door, where her brother waited with his walking aid, and said nothing.
Scene 2: A different view. During rehearsal, a visitor tried to pass between two chairs and had to turn sideways. I suddenly pictured Elena’s brother trying the same route. My neat row seemed less like a plan and more like a fence. I moved one chair, but the gap was still narrow. Elena helped me push the row back and make a clear path along the edge of the stage. The chairs no longer made a perfect line.
Scene 3: Concert. That evening, Elena’s brother reached his seat without moving anyone else’s chair. I watched the aisle while the audience settled. Then I put away my ruler. Elena asked if the uneven spacing bothered me. “It looks ready now,” I told her. I could still see the empty spaces, but I had stopped thinking of them as mistakes.