This was doing nothing to brighten my mood. On top of everything else, now I had the distinct feeling I had somehow let Aahz down.
“I don’t think you can say it’s your fault, Aahz. I mean, you’ve tried hard and been more patient with me than anyone I’ve ever known. Nobody can teach someone else everything, even if they could remember what should be taught. I’ve got a certain saturation point. After that, I’m not going to learn anything new until I’ve digested what I’ve got. Even then, I’ve got to be honest and say there are some things I don’t believe no matter how often you tell me. I’ve just got to find out for myself. A craftsman can’t blame his skill if he has defective material.”
“That’s just what I’ve been thinking,” Aahz nodded. “I can’t keep blaming myself for everything. It’s very astute of you to have figured this out at your age … without going through what I have.”
“It’s no big thing to figure out that I’m a dummy,” I said bitterly. “I’ve known it all along.”
Suddenly, I felt myself being lifted into the air. I looked past Aahz’s hand, which was gripping my shirt by the collar, down the length of his arm, and into his yellow eyes.
“Wrong lesson!” he snarled, sounding much like his old self. “What you’re supposed to be learning isn’t that you’re dumb. You’re not, and if you were listening, I just complimented you on that fact.”
“Then what …” I managed, with what little air I had left.
“The point is that what’s happened in the past isn’t my fault, just like what’s happening now isn’t your fault!”