Pranav and Maneet’s family had decided to buy a house in a new development. There were several models to pick from and they had chosen one with the features they wanted.

 

 

Two houses of that model were finished and for sale. Their backs faced each other, one house looking north and the other looking south—each with a big, open lawn in front. There were tall trees between them, coming almost to the back of each house.

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“It’s hard to pick. These two houses are exactly the same,” their mother said, as they stood on the back deck of the house that faced north.

 

 

“The price is the same, too, although either way we’re going to have to watch our money more closely after buying a new house,” said their father.

 

 

Pranav could feel warmth in the sunlight, even through the bare branches of the trees. Spring was coming. Where they lived, winter was short and mild, and furnaces ran only a little while. Summer was long and hot—air conditioners ran almost all day.

 

 

“We should buy this one,” Pranav said, after thinking for a moment.

 

 

“What did you do? Flip a coin in your head?” Maneet asked.