The Pool

story fifty-two · figures 154–156

The story →

THE POOL · THE POSITION, IMPROVING ALL THE WAY DOWN — standing notice, weekly · movement since last notice: improved THE POOL · THE POSITION, IMPROVING ALL THE WAY DOWN standing notice, weekly · movement since last notice: improved 4,081 the notice she is reading 4,081 pre-base-date contributions AT ONE HALF 3,977 two Tuesdays a month now position the door what she gives first Tuesday of the month · the draw · one bag’s worth · points post by Friday the arithmetic at night POSITION OVER RATE EQUALS YEARS TO THE DOOR which rate she uses last year’s, WHICH WAS KINDER · and the app shows her position a week behind what the notice guarantees points do not expire · this is stated on the notice what the scale confirms lighter every month, in a way the program does not ask about HER LAST NOTICE SAYS: IMPROVED.
154 · The Pool
THE POOL · FOUR NOTICES, AND WHAT EACH ONE MOVES — every one is accurate, courteous, and issued to nobody in particular THE POOL · FOUR NOTICES, AND WHAT EACH ONE MOVES every one is accurate, courteous, and issued to nobody in particular STANDING NOTICE, WEEKLY your position is 4,081 · movement: improved contributions are gratefully recorded · THE POOL IS GROWING NOTICE OF REQUALIFICATION contributions before the base date are restated AT ONE HALF to preserve fairness across cohorts · contributors HAVE BEEN RECORDED AS CONSULTED · deferrals may be reviewed AT THE CONTRIBUTOR’S REQUEST CORRECTION reports of a market in held years are without foundation held years return to the pool · THERE IS NO MARKET · persons approached regarding such a market are advised THAT THEY WERE NOT APPROACHED TRANSFER OF STANDING passes with its points to the successor named at enrollment or, where none is named, TO THE ELDEST OF DESCENT · the transfer requires no acceptance · ACCEPTANCE IS PRESUMED THE ONE PROTECTION THAT REMAINS — THE INTERVAL — CAN BE WAIVED ONLY BY THE PERSON IT PROTECTS. That is how a modern system gets its consent: it does not overrule you, it lets you ask. She reads the requalification twice, puts it with the others, flat, in the folder with the elastic — and books a second Tuesday. THE POOL, THE NOTICE ADDS, IS IN EXCELLENT HEALTH.
155 · The Pool
THE POOL · WHAT PASSES TO THE DAUGHTER — ten years of Tuesdays, flat on a kitchen table, and a position she never asked to hold THE POOL · WHAT PASSES TO THE DAUGHTER ten years of Tuesdays, flat on a kitchen table, and a position she never asked to hold THE FOLDER WITH THE ELASTIC ten years of Tuesdays, flat the notices, read twice, kept the cutting from the east — forty-one, restored to the working register — at the front, WHERE THE ELASTIC CROSSES and a position in her name: improved · historical · hers in the fourth year her daughter asked her to stop what she gave her instead the position, and the movement since the last notice what the daughter did looked at the numbers for a while AND DID NOT ASK AGAIN what she inherits, six years later a position she never asked to hold · the transfer requires no acceptance what falls next week THE FIRST TUESDAY · the arm praised the way you would praise a road THAT IS HOW A PRACTICE IS PASSED ON — NOT BY TEACHING, BUT BY ARITHMETIC. Six years before she inherits it, she is handed the numbers instead of an answer, and stops asking. The elastic is looped over her wrist THE WAY A THING IS GIVEN AT A FAIR. POINTS DO NOT EXPIRE.
156 · The Pool

Copyright © 2026 Hulki Okan Tabak. All rights reserved.