Wally was nine years old and in the second grade. Now, he should’ve been in the fourth grade, but he was sort of slow and had difficulty keeping up, so he was left back.
Although he was well liked by everyone, he was big and clumsy and usually the last one to be picked for a game of ball. Most often they’d try to find a way to keep him out, but he’d still hang around – not sulking, just hoping. He was always a willing and helpful boy, and he always watched out for the smaller, younger boys – like their protector.
When the yearly Christmas play came around that year, Wally wanted to be a shepherd –they got to play flutes. But the director, Miss Lombard, wanted him to play a different part – the Innkeeper. That part didn’t have many lines, and his size could make him a more forceful character. But some secretly wondered just how Wally would do.
Well then came the big night. The auditorium was filled with excited onlookers; there was great expectation. But no one that night was more caught up in the magic than Wally. He watched the performance with such fascination that from time-to-time Miss Lombard had to watch so that he didn’t just wander onto the stage. And then, finally, came his part.
As Mary and Joseph stood at the door of the Inn, Wally as the Innkeeper opened it up and said, “What do you want?” “Please Sir”, Joseph said, “Do you have a room? My wife and I have traveled a long distance, and she is very tired.”
“Go away”, Wally said forcefully. “The Inn is full”.
“Please Sir”, Joseph continued, “My wife is great with child. Surely you have some small corner where she can rest”. The crowd waited for the innkeeper’s harsh response, but this time Wally paused. “No, be gone!” The prompter whispered from the wings. “No, be gone”, Wally repeated automatically.
Joseph placed his arm around Mary as they sadly walked away. But Wally stood there in the doorway, his mouth was open, his brow creased with concern as his eyes visibly filled with tears; and suddenly this Christmas pageant was changed from all others. “Wait, don’t go”, Wally called out, “bring Mary back.” And Wally’s face grew into a bright smile, “You can have my room.”
Some people that night thought the pageant had been ruined. Yet there were others, many others, who thought it was the most wonderful Christmas pageant that they had ever seen.
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