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 did not have the money for doctor’s bills and their house . Only a very costly surgery could save him now and 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 . She counted it three times . The total had to be exactly prefect . 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 six blocks to Rexall 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 .
“And what do you want ? ” the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice . “ I’m talking to my brother 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 th same annoyed tone . “He’s 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 ? ”
“ We don’t sell miracles here ! 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 . ”
The pharmacist’s brother was a well-dressed man . He stooped down and asked the little girl , “ What kind of a miracle does your 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 .”
“How much do you have ? ” asked the man from Chicago .
“ One dollar and eleven cents ,” Tess answered barely audible . “And it’s all the money I have ,but I can get some more if need to . ”
“Well , what a coincidence ,”smiled the man . “ A dollar and eleven cents – the exact price of a miracle for little brother .” He took her money 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 , specializing in neurosurgery . The operation was completed without charge and it was no long until Andrew was home again and doing well .
Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that 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 . A miracle is not the suspension of natural law , but the operation of a higher law and that is , there is no greater gift than love .
 |
| petpet-paradise.blogspot.com |
