The Rock in the Shoe

Chapter 1The Slow Brother

The family walked along the paved path toward the small park.

Chaim had wanted to get there before the bench beside the big tree was taken. His little brother Sruly stopped beside every fallen leaf.

"Come on," Chaim said.

Sruly hurried for three steps, then stopped again.

Chaim's shoe rubbed his foot. He shifted his weight and glared at Sruly.

Totty waited beside them while Mommy, in her full headscarf, pushed the stroller a little farther ahead.

"We will stay together," Totty said.

Chapter 2Everything Was Annoying

A bicycle bell sounded behind them. Totty moved the boys safely to the side until the rider passed.

Chaim sighed.

Now even a bicycle was delaying them.

Sruly showed him a leaf with a round hole.

"It looks like a window."

"It looks like a leaf."

Sruly lowered his hand.

Chaim took another step. Something sharp pressed under his heel.

He could not remember when that had begun. He only knew the park seemed farther away than it should.

Chapter 3The Short Answer

"Would you like to hold the leaf?" Sruly asked.

"No. Stop asking me things."

Totty stopped beside an empty bench away from the walking path.

"Chaim, you sound uncomfortable. Is something bothering you?"

"He keeps stopping."

"Anything else?"

Chaim stood on one foot, then the other.

"My shoe. There is something in it."

He had been walking as though every step was somebody else's fault. The sharp spot had been under his own heel all along.

Chapter 4At the Bench

Totty helped Chaim sit safely on the bench.

Chaim took off his shoe. A tiny pebble fell out into his palm.

He stared at it.

It was much smaller than the amount of annoyance it had caused.

Totty checked that the shoe was clear before Chaim put it back on.

"Tell me when something hurts. You do not have to wait until we arrive."

Chaim nodded.

His foot felt better. His stomach still felt hollow.

"I am hungry, too."

Mommy joined them and took their packed snack from the stroller bag.

Chapter 5The Leaf Window

They ate while sitting together.

Sruly laid his leaf on the bench. He did not try to show it to Chaim again.

Chaim looked at the round hole.

"Sorry I spoke sharply. The leaf does look like it has a window."

Sruly held it up against the tree.

"You can see branches through it."

Chaim leaned closer. "A very small house with a very big view."

Sruly smiled.

The pebble and hunger explained some of Chaim's bad mood. They did not make the sharp words disappear without an apology.

Chapter 6The Last Part of the Path

After the snack, the family continued toward the park.

Chaim could feel the path through his shoes without the sharp spot. He no longer wanted to argue with every pause.

Sruly still noticed leaves. Chaim still wanted to reach the tree bench.

"You can show me that one when we stop," Chaim said.

Sruly carried it instead of bending down again.

The two boys walked beside Totty. Mommy and the stroller stayed with them.

Nobody had to hurry far ahead, and nobody had to pretend they wanted exactly the same pace.

Chapter 7An Ordinary Little Pebble

The tree bench was occupied. Chaim sat with the family on another bench and held up the pebble.

"That caused all the trouble?" Sruly asked.

"Some. I helped."

Sruly laughed.

Chaim put the pebble away from the walking path. His foot would go home without its passenger.