A Small Clay Shingle

I wandered into a sunlit plant nursery down the side street. On a low wooden plank, a row of baby succulents sat in tiny red clay pots. One small rectangular drainage shingle had slipped out from beneath a shallow pot, resting awkwardly across a thin, spreading runner stem. The green leaf was getting pinched against the splintered wood. I paused, taking my time. Stepping close, I nudged the heavy shingle with the curve of my soft front foot, sliding it inch by inch until the stem sprang upright and free. The terracotta piece rested safely flat beside it. It felt very good to give the tiny sprout room to grow in the quiet afternoon.