The Apology with an Excuse Attached

Chapter 1Beside the Glue

Shaya's clay rabbit stood beside the glue jar, waiting for a paper fence. Its ears were longer than its legs.

Berl reached across the table for the jar. His sleeve brushed an ear.

The ear bent sideways, then fell onto the rabbit's foot.

Shaya looked up.

"Sorry," Berl said quickly. "But you put it right beside the glue."

Shaya picked up the ear without answering.

The jar was still on the other side of the rabbit. Berl had not moved it or used it.

"There wasn't much room," Berl said.

"You could have asked me to pass it."

"I didn't see how close it was."

"I was making the fence."

Berl pointed to the rabbit, then to the jar. The space really was narrow. He wanted Shaya to see that he had not meant to break anything.

Shaya pressed the ear back. It leaned over again.

Explaining the narrow space had not made the rabbit stand as it had before.

Rebbi came to check the table.

"What happened?"

Berl told him about his sleeve.

Shaya held out the loose ear.

"We can put the wet clay on a tray away from the supplies," Rebbi said. "First, ask Shaya what help he wants."

Berl looked at the bent place on the rabbit's head.

"I'm sorry I reached over your rabbit and broke its ear."

He nearly added the sentence about the glue again. He stopped.

The table could need a better arrangement, and his reach could still be the reason this ear was broken.

"I can put it back," Berl offered.

Shaya shook his head. "I want to do it. Could you get Rebbi's little clay board?"

Berl fetched it. He put it beside Shaya instead of pushing the rabbit onto it himself.

Rebbi showed Shaya how to work on the join. Berl waited with his hands off the rabbit.

"It might look a little different," Shaya said.

"I know."

Berl wished he could make the accident disappear. He could bring the board and stop making the repair harder. That was what Shaya had asked for.

While Shaya worked, Berl asked Rebbi whether they could put the shared jars in the middle, with the clay trays on the outside.

Rebbi helped clear a place. Berl asked the other boys before moving any of their work.

Then someone needed the glue.

Berl passed it along without reaching over an animal.

Shaya's rabbit had an ear again. It was slightly shorter now.

"Are you still upset?" Berl asked quietly.

"A little."

Berl nodded. Shaya did not have to say the rabbit was exactly as good as before to let Berl help.

Berl cut strips for his own fence. When Shaya asked for one, he passed it over.

At cleanup, Berl waited for Shaya to move his rabbit safely onto its tray before taking the jar.

This time his sleeve brushed no one's work.