An Important Job

“Attention, everyone,” said Daddy. “Elizabeth and I have decided on a job for Andrew and Karen. It is a very important job indeed.”

“Hooray!” I said. “What is it?”

We were at the dinner table. My big-house family was all ears. They wanted to hear about our new job.

“Well, we usually have a star at the top of the Christmas tree,” said Elizabeth. “But our star is so old it is falling apart. We thought it would be nice to have an angel on the tree this year. Your job is to find one.”

“Wow! I know everything about angels,” I replied.

“My teacher says I am an angel sometimes,” said Andrew.

“Your teacher is right,” said Charlie. “But you are too heavy to sit on top of the tree.”

While everyone was laughing at Charlie’s joke, I was thinking. Thinking about our job of finding the angel. It really was an important job.

“You do not have to look so serious,” whispered Sam. “It is not your job to find a real angel.”

“I know that,” I replied.

“You know, there are no such things as angels,” said Sam.

“Well, I like to think there are,” I replied.

After dinner, I called a meeting. It was only a little meeting for Andrew and me. But at least I was in charge.

“We need to decide what kind of angel we want. Should we make one, or buy one? Whatever we do, the angel must be really terrific,” I said.

“I do not know what kind it should be,” said Andrew.

“I have a very good book we can look at,” I replied. “Maybe we will find an angel we like there.”

We carefully looked through My Book of Angels. That did not help, because we liked every angel we saw.

“I will get more books at school tomorrow,” I said. “Maybe we will see the perfect angel in one of them.”

At recess the next day, I went to the library instead of the playground. I asked Mr. Counts, the school librarian, for books with pictures of angels.

“We have several good ones, Karen,” he replied. “I will help you find them.”

I took out four books, which is the most we are allowed to borrow. Then I went to see Mr. Mackey, the art teacher.

“Do you have any books about making angels?” I asked.

“There are some excellent craft books on my shelves over there. Feel free to browse and borrow,” Mr. Mackey replied.

I browsed and borrowed two books. At home, I called another meeting. I opened the new books to the pictures of my favorite angels.

“Okay,” I said. “It is time to decide. When I count to three, point to the angel you like the best. One, two, three!”

Guess what! Andrew and I pointed to the same one. It was amazing. I was sure it was an angel’s magic sign. The angel we picked was wearing a blue flowing robe. She had a golden halo and golden wings. She was blowing on a silver trumpet. She was fantastic.

Then I remembered something. I saw an angel just like her in the Connecticut Yankee Gift Shop downtown. (I am always on the lookout for angels.)

“Go get your money, Andrew. I will get mine. We will see how much we have,” I said.

I counted our money. It was just enough to buy the angel.

“Let’s ask Daddy if he will drive us downtown on Saturday,” I said.

Daddy said he would be glad to. Yippee!