The teacher, Miss Blaine, blew her whistle and the
boys lined up to go in for class. Again, Milo pushed his way into the line. At
the table, he shoved the other chairs farther away from his and sat down. The
boys on either side sat as far away as possible and yet still be in contact with
the desk.
Miss Blaine observed the boy’s placement. “Kurt and
Everett, please move your chairs so you are out of the isles.”
The boys scooted just enough so they were inside the
rows.
At supper, Milo clanged his tray down next to Hudson
and elbowed between him and Kurt.
Hudson frowned, “Kurt was sitting next to me. You
could sit on my other side.”
“I like this side better because it’s closer to the
window and I can see out.”
Kurt moved to Hudson’s other side and mumbled, “It’s
alright.”
Milo played with his food, mixing his mashed potatoes
and peas together and swirled in his applesauce.
Miss Mathews came by. “Milo remember, elbows off the
table. You made a mess of your food. Make sure you eat every bit of it.”
The boys smiled or snickered. Milo slumped. He managed
to eat all of his food by shoving mouthfuls in and swallowing with a drink of milk.
Milk dribbled down his chin. The back of his hand was his napkin.
Chores didn’t go much better and shower time was
worse. He didn’t bring his soap to the shower and grabbed one of the boy's. “Hey that’s
mine,” said James, “give it back.”
Milo made a dash for the shower and used it fast and
slapped it into James’ hand. “There, no worse for the wear.”
He plucked a towel off the rack and dried off. After
dressing in his night clothes, he flipped his towel over his shoulder slapping
Henry in the face.
“Hey watch it!”
Milo didn’t say anything. He jumped on his bed knocking
it askew. The boys were allowed to read
for a half hour each night. He got up and reached for a book, knocking others
down. On his bed again, he hummed a jumble of notes.
“Knock it off, Milo!”
“Yeah, be quiet!”
“Stop humming!”
He only got louder.
Miss Atkins walked in. “What is all the fuss?”
The boys talked all at once. She summed up the
problem. “Milo please come with me.”
Milo stood and dropped his book onto the floor. The book landed with a thud.
“Milo, please pick up the book and put it away.”
He followed Miss Atkins down to Miss Matthews’s
office.
“Have a seat Milo. Miss Matthews and I want to talk
with you.”
“Well, what have you done now, Milo?”
“Nothing.”
“We have been watching your actions since you came to
us. We’ve had these talks before, but your attitude toward others and your rudeness
has gotten worse as the weeks go by. Miss Atkins, is it more of the same?”
“Yes, he was bothering the boys while they were
reading and I understand an altercation happened in the showers.”
“I see. Milo do you remember a young couple that came
by a few days ago?”
Milo nodded.
“They were looking over you boys for a possible fit
for adoption. They liked the look of you but witnessed some of your shenanigans.
They came again today and observed all of you through my office window. Do you
remember how you acted in the yard?”
Milo hung his head.
“They asked me if you were rude and belligerent all
the time. I cannot lie to prospective
parents. I had to warn them of your attitude. They decided not to take you for
a trial run. They left without taking anyone. You lost this chance. I think
down inside you are kind and sweet. I think you need to look for and bring that
boy back up to the surface. I bet your
attitude was different with your parents and friends. What do you say?”
A tear slid down his cheek. “I don’t know.”
“Have you been listening on Sundays to the Pastor as
he teaches you about God’s love?”
There was a nod from Milo.
“Jesus died for you so you could go to heaven. Have
you trusted Jesus as your Savior?”
“Yes. When I was about five. My mommy told me how.”
“How do you think Jesus would want you to act toward
others?”
“I guess, He would want me to be kind.”
“Yes He would. I’m glad you understand. We have a
special room for boys who need time to think. It’s comfortable. You used it the
first night you were here, remember? The room is available for you tonight of you
wish.”
Milo didn’t want to face the boys after he’d been crying.
He nodded.
Miss Atkins took him to his room. He lay there in the
dark and cried into his pillow.
He thought about those people who came and didn’t choose him. In his mind he played over and over the mean things he had said to the other boys. The sound of Everett falling the other day, reverberated in his ears. The snickering he heard at his belching and slurping was not what new parents would do.
He thought about those people who came and didn’t choose him. In his mind he played over and over the mean things he had said to the other boys. The sound of Everett falling the other day, reverberated in his ears. The snickering he heard at his belching and slurping was not what new parents would do.
Remembering the way it used to be with his parents,
almost broke his heart. He remembered his mother’s voice telling him to love
his neighbors. He had buried those thoughts and feelings. They came in huge
waves of sobs of pain.
“Jesus please forgive me. I miss my parents so badly.
Can you give me new ones? I would be a good boy, I promise!”
As the tears fell, layers of hurt and resentment
flaked off. Finally, the tears were spent and he fell into a peaceful
sleep.
Mrs. Matthews let him sleep longer than normal and
brought him his breakfast. She slid a small table up to his bed and let him eat
while she spoke to him.
“How do you feel this morning?”
“Lighter and different.”
“Did you make it right with Jesus?”
“Yes. I also thought about my parents and asked Jesus
to send me new ones.”
“That’s a good thing to pray for but Jesus may want
you to live here with us. How do you think you should treat everyone here?”
“I promised Jesus I would be a good boy and nice to
the boys. Miss Matthews, I’m sorry I have been rude to the adults and mean to
the other boys. I’ll try hard to make you proud of me.”
“I already am proud of you. I want you to grow up into
a remarkable young man who loves Jesus and others.”
“Why don’t you finish and then you can go to class.”
“Can I tell the boys I’m sorry?”
“That would be a fine idea.”
He ate his breakfast and carefully picked up his napkin
and wiped his mouth. He looked up into Miss Matthew’s smiling face and smiled
back.
She said, “Milo, you're smile is beautiful and I hope
to see it more often.”
Together they went to the classroom.
Miss Matthews spoke to the class. “Milo has something
he wants to say. When he is finished there will be no more talk of the previous
events.”
“I’m sorry everybody for being a jerk. I promise to
be nice when we play and stuff. Everett, I’m sorry for knocking you down and
pushing past you and Kurt and everyone else.”
The boys almost in unison said, “We forgive you, Milo.”
■■■
Milo learned to get along with others and wasn’t rude
or sullen. The couple came back in a few months later and observed a different
boy in Milo. They eventually adopted him and he got the new parents he prayed
for.
Girls and boys, how do you act toward others? Do you push
or crowd them out? Interrupt them by humming? Let the door slam on them? Kick
dirt on them if you don’t get your way? Or do you burp loudly and put your
elbows on the table? How about making a mess when you’re cleaning just to get
it done? There are more things that were rude that Milo did. I hope you don’t
act like that. We should respect others. Jesus said to love others. When you
act rude or mean you are not acting like you love others.
Memorize: 1 Peter 2:17a Honor all people. Love the brotherhood…
Verses in NKJV unless otherwise stated
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