Aunt Clara picked up her 8-year-old niece, Lily, from school, expecting a cheerful afternoon. Instead, Lily burst into tears, explaining how her classmates had teased her for not knowing “The Knuckle Trick.” Clara, unfamiliar with the term, felt a pang of guilt—she hated seeing Lily so upset over something that seemed trivial but clearly meant the world to her. Determined to help, Clara sat Lily down with a cup of hot cocoa and promised to figure it
out. After some digging, Clara learned from a neighbor’s kid that “The Knuckle Trick” was a playful schoolyard game: you tap your knuckles on someone’s head in a rhythmic pattern, then quickly tickle them, making them giggle. Clara taught Lily the trick, and the next day, Lily returned to school, confidently showing her friends. The teasing stopped, replaced by laughter, and Lily’s smile returned, brighter than ever. Clara felt a quiet triumph, grateful she could turn her niece’s tears into joy.
