Four year old Abigail, freshly bathed, towel
dried, hair and teeth brushed and now dressed in her favorite pink kitten
pajamas sat bouncing on the corner of her bed.
“Are you ready to say your prayers?” her grandfather asked.
“Yep,” Abigail giggled and bounced a little more.
“I mean it, Abby. You say your prayers and it’s time for bed. No more play time.” She grinned and continued to bounce on the mattress. “All right then,” said Grandfather, “let’s get to it.”
The bouncing stopped; the grin disappeared. Abigail closed her eyes and solemnly said her prayer: “Dear God, I love Mommy. I love Daddy. I love Grandpa and Mammie. I love Buster-dog. I love Ms. Kirk and my school. Amen.”
Grandfather-who hadn’t closed his eyes during this brief litany- looked at her suspiciously. “That’s nice, Abby, but say your prayers so you can go to bed.”
Abigail looked confused. “I did say prayers.”
Exasperated now, Grandfather stood up. “Fine. Fine. It’s time for little girls to be in bed and sleeping.” He tucked her under the covers, retrieved her plush bird (named Dinkins) from the floor and kissed her on the forehead. “Go to sleep, little girl.”
He turned off the overhead light, turned on the small nightlight and closed the door. In the darkness of the hallway he stood for a moment and said, “Damndest prayer I’ve ever heard…” and then went downstairs to watch the news.
“Yep,” Abigail giggled and bounced a little more.
“I mean it, Abby. You say your prayers and it’s time for bed. No more play time.” She grinned and continued to bounce on the mattress. “All right then,” said Grandfather, “let’s get to it.”
The bouncing stopped; the grin disappeared. Abigail closed her eyes and solemnly said her prayer: “Dear God, I love Mommy. I love Daddy. I love Grandpa and Mammie. I love Buster-dog. I love Ms. Kirk and my school. Amen.”
Grandfather-who hadn’t closed his eyes during this brief litany- looked at her suspiciously. “That’s nice, Abby, but say your prayers so you can go to bed.”
Abigail looked confused. “I did say prayers.”
Exasperated now, Grandfather stood up. “Fine. Fine. It’s time for little girls to be in bed and sleeping.” He tucked her under the covers, retrieved her plush bird (named Dinkins) from the floor and kissed her on the forehead. “Go to sleep, little girl.”
He turned off the overhead light, turned on the small nightlight and closed the door. In the darkness of the hallway he stood for a moment and said, “Damndest prayer I’ve ever heard…” and then went downstairs to watch the news.
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