Tess was a precocious eight year old when she heard her
Mom and Dad talking about her little brother, Andrew. All
she knew was that he was very sick and they were
completely out of money. They were moving to an apartment
complex next month because Daddy didn’t have the money
for the doctor bills and our house.
Mom and Dad talking about her little brother, Andrew. All
she knew was that he was very sick and they were
completely out of money. They were moving to an apartment
complex next month because Daddy didn’t have the money
for the doctor bills and our house.
Only a very costly surgery could save him now and it was
looking like there was no-one to loan them the money. She
heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with whispered
desperation, “Only a miracle can save him now.”
looking like there was no-one to loan them the money. She
heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with whispered
desperation, “Only a miracle can save him now.”
Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its
hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on
the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The
total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for
mistakes.Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and
twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made
her way 6 blocks to Rexall’s Drug Store with the big red
Indian Chief sign above the door.
hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on
the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The
total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for
mistakes.Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and
twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made
her way 6 blocks to Rexall’s Drug Store with the big red
Indian Chief sign above the door.
She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some
attention but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted
her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her
throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No
good.
Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the
glass counter. That did it!
attention but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted
her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her
throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No
good.
Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the
glass counter. That did it!
“And what do you want?” the pharmacist asked in an
annoyed tone of voice. “I’m talking to my brother from
Chicago whom I haven’t seen in ages,” he said without
waiting for a reply to his question.
annoyed tone of voice. “I’m talking to my brother from
Chicago whom I haven’t seen in ages,” he said without
waiting for a reply to his question.
“Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,” Tess
answered back in the same annoyed tone. “He’s really, really
sick… and I want to buy a miracle.”
answered back in the same annoyed tone. “He’s really, really
sick… and I want to buy a miracle.”
“I beg your pardon?” said the pharmacist.
“His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing
inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save
him now. So how much does a miracle cost?”
“His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing
inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save
him now. So how much does a miracle cost?”
“We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. I’m sorry but I can’t
help you,” the pharmacist said, softening a little. “Listen, I
have the money to pay for it. If it isn’t enough, I will get the
rest. Just tell me how much it costs.”
help you,” the pharmacist said, softening a little. “Listen, I
have the money to pay for it. If it isn’t enough, I will get the
rest. Just tell me how much it costs.”
The pharmacist’s brother was a well dressed man. He stooped
down and asked the little girl, “What kind of a miracle does
you brother need?”
down and asked the little girl, “What kind of a miracle does
you brother need?”
“I don’t know,” Tess replied with her eyes welling up. “I just
know he’s really sick and Mommy says he needs an
operation. But my Daddy can’t pay for it, so I want to use my
money.”
know he’s really sick and Mommy says he needs an
operation. But my Daddy can’t pay for it, so I want to use my
money.”
“How much do you have?” asked the man from Chicago.
“One dollar and eleven cents,” Tess answered barely audibly.
“And it’s all the money I have, but I can get some more if I
need to.
“One dollar and eleven cents,” Tess answered barely audibly.
“And it’s all the money I have, but I can get some more if I
need to.
“Well, what a coincidence,” smiled the man. “A dollar and
eleven cents – the exact price of a miracle for little brothers.”
He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he
grasped her mitten and said, “Take me to where you live. I
want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I
have the kind of miracle you need.”
eleven cents – the exact price of a miracle for little brothers.”
He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he
grasped her mitten and said, “Take me to where you live. I
want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I
have the kind of miracle you need.”
That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon,
specialising in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed
without charge and it wasn’t long until Andrew was home
again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily talking
about the chain of events that had led them to this place.
specialising in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed
without charge and it wasn’t long until Andrew was home
again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily talking
about the chain of events that had led them to this place.
“That surgery,” her Mom whispered. “was a real miracle. I
wonder how much it would have cost?”
Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost… one
dollar and eleven cents … plus the faith of a little child.
wonder how much it would have cost?”
Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost… one
dollar and eleven cents … plus the faith of a little child.
This story is claimed to be a true story ~ Author Unknown
No comments:
Post a Comment