I suspect that most all of us did something as kids that isa bit shameful. I imagine that I committeda lot of acts of thoughtlessness that I've completely forgotten. There is, however, one instance of –abominablebehavior that hangs heavy in my heart to this day--my cruelty to Charles Crew.
We were in Miss Gigay’s second grade class at Kingsville Elementary School in Kingsville, Maryland. It was Christmastime and we’d all drawn a name for gift giving. I was thrilled when I opened my package andit was a imitation pearl bracelets—one faux pearl after another wrapping aroundmy wrist.
I’d never had anything quite like it—I think it might havebeen my first piece of jewelry. It wasthe first I remembered, at any rate. Itwas a gift from Charles Crew and at the moment I put it on, I believed I wouldcherish it and Charles forever.
Unfortunately, being a Tomboy—and a clumsy one at that--Ispent the rest of the day in careless disregard of the slightly fragilebracelet. My physical recklessness tooka toll. The stringing gave way and the pseudo-pearlsbounced around on the floor.
I was heart-broken. But instead of accepting my culpability in its destruction, I lashed outat Charles. I yelled at him for buyingme a cheap gift. I am embarrassed himand made him miserable.
Ever since I have been old enough to understand the humiliation I caused, I have regretted it. In the last couple of decades, I’ve had an undying urge to apologize tohim for my awful behavior. Odds are, itdoesn’t remember that incident, but still I feel I owe him an apology and Iwould like to deliver it.
I’ve searched for him online every place I could think tolook—but no Charles Crew I found seemed to fit his description. So, I’m doing the next best thing: making apublic apology. I am sorry, CharlesCrew. I regret what I did that day andthe pain I caused. I hope you’veforgotten about it, all these years later; but if you still recall it, perhapsknowing that I am sorry for what I did will make you feel a bit better.
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