As usual that night, my
husband had made a fantastic meal- chicken strips marinaded in lemon with sauteed onions, long grain
rice and green beans. As we were eating, my children told us about there day at school. Being that it was nearing the end of the year, there were picnics and
field trips on their minds as well as final exams. My daughter was prattling along as usual, hardly taking a breath between her words. There seemed to be so much for her to tell us that she couldn't get it out quick enough. Then very quietly my son said;
" Wally can't go on the field trip to Darien Lake."
" Why?"
You see, Wally is very bright and normally a good kid, so I couldn't understand why he wouldn't be allowed to go.
" The teacher said he can't go if he doesn't turn in the money tomorrow, and I don't think his father can afford it. So Wally won't be able to go."
My heart broke. I knew little about this child, only that his father rode to work on an old bicycle and that they had recently moved from a rundown apartment in the "projects" to another that was located closer to the school, but above a barber shop. I looked across the table at my
husband, a look of disbelief in his eyes. I knew what he was thinking, but our son said it first.
"I have enough in my bank. Could I pay for his ticket?"
"What do you have in your wallet, I have a five?" my husband said.
I went and got my purse and found that between the two of us, we had enough for the day pass. I handed it to my son and he placed it on the table beside his plate while he finished swallowing. The look on his face was all the thanks we needed.
"Thank you. Wally doesn't have much, since he lives with his dad. Did you know that he really hasn't even been able to see his new baby sister?"
It was so sad to hear our son talking about this young boy. His parents had split and now his mother had a new baby, this didn't leave much of any time to him. I was just so pleased to realize that my son was observant enough to see that this boy didn't really need a handout, but more of a "small gift" of friendship.
Later when he cleaned up the table he stopped me.
"Thanks Mom. I'm glad that Wally will be able to have fun with us on the field trip now."
It's the little things
that our children do
that let us know
that the world will be okay.