Story Hour
A BIRTHDAY FOR ALICE
Written by Gene B. Williams
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Alice was very excited. Her birthday was coming. Even better, Father’s Day was coming. Best of all, this year both were the same day – June 16th. They always celebrated together. Now it would be extra special.
She wanted to get him something that was also special. With Mom’s help, she picked out a set of paints. It had eight little bottles – red, yellow, blue, green, orange, white, black and brown. Dad loved to go into his shop and make things. Alice loved to sit next to him and watch. He could take an old scrap of wood, or just a couple of sticks and make the most wonderful things!
As Alice wrapped the box of paints in colorful paper, she pictured Dad as he opened it. She pictured him in the shop – with her sitting at his side – to paint his crafts. She also pictured going out with him to find twigs and sticks. She didn’t have to picture what he made. Alice had many of them, and others were here and there around the house.
Once he had to prune the lilac bushes. With a bit of white sheep, soon there was a flock of wooly sheep.
Another time he had a piece of leftover stair rail. From that came snowmen, each made different with scarves (from scrap ribbon), brooms (from scrap straw), and hats (from scrap cloth and paper).
From a mulberry tree that had to be cut down came herds and herds of reindeer of all sizes.
He made trains and barns and birds and park benches and turkeys and camels and ducks and street lamps and … there seemed to be no end to what kinds of marvelous things Dad could make. Now he would have a whole new set of paints.
Alice was so excited that when he asked, “What would you like for your birthday?” she didn’t hesitate. “I want a horse!” she said. She knew right away that it was the wrong thing to say. A horse was far too expensive. Dad had been out of work. Money was tight. He had even sold the rowboat he used to go fishing.
Dad rubbed her head sadly and said, “Maybe some day, my little Nubbin, but not now.”
Later that evening she went to his shop to watch while he worked. To her surprise, the door was locked. She knocked on the door and asked, “Daddy, can I come in?”
“Not now, Alice,” he answered. “I’m busy with something.”
Alice’s heart sank. She just knew it had something to do with asking for a horse. She felt terrible – and worse with the idea that she’d upset her father. She’d upset him so much that he wouldn’t let her into the workshop. “He doesn’t want me around,” she thought.
Finally, it was Father’s Day – and her birthday. As she took the wrapped paint set from under her bed, tears came to her eyes. She wiped them away before coming into the room and did her best to put on a smile. “Happy Father’s Day.” She tried to make it sound cheerful.
Her Dad ripped at the paper. “Oh, Alice, how perfect. I need more paints for some projects I’m doing.” He handed her a box – and a smile.
She very carefully – and slowly – began to unwrap it. Inside was crumpled newspaper. Inside that was … well, the only way to find out was to remove the newspaper. And when she did … It was a horse head carved from wood. The most beautiful horse head she’d ever seen! No wonder Dad hadn’t let he into the workshop. He was busy carving this!
“I promise, one day you will have a horse all your own.”
Alice threw herself into his arms. “Daddy, I already have the best horse in the whole wide world.”
“I have two more presents for you,” he said.
She opened the next package. Inside was a bridle. A REAL bridle for a REAL horse. Her mind was racing and for a moment she thought that there might BE a REAL horse . “Tomorrow we’ll hang this on your wall so you can look at it and remind yourself that one day you might have a real horse. Until then …” he handed her a third package “… until then you need to learn all you can.”
Inside the third package was a book all about horses.
That night she cuddled into his arms as he read to her from the book. They looked at the pictures. They laughed. As she was falling asleep she said, “This was the best birthday ever.”
He kissed her on her forehead and said, “And, the best Father’s Day ever.”
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