MOLLY

    LI1TLE Kyle "Wyarratt leaned against the kitchen table as he ate a hot
oatmeal cookie. His mother could tell he had something on his mind
he wanted to discuss with her. He is an energetic boy and always up
to something. The fact he had been crippled by polio did not slow
him down. His dad had made him a pair of crutches to assist him
to venture around the farm. Kyle had just had his eighth birthday,
when polio had found him and left him with a crippled left leg. As his
mother looked into his sparkling blue eyes, he asked her.
    "Can 1 have a Shetland pony? 1 could ride it to school next month
when school starts. Dad said 1 can't walk that far and he would have to
take me to school everyday. 1 would take good care of it."
    She gave him another oatmeal cookie and then said.
    "Go talk to your father."
    Kyle took but just a second to eat the w缸m oatmeal cookie and
then hobbled outside with his crutches. He had heard his dad working
in the barn earlier so that is where he went first. lt was just about time
to milk the cows an户阳严He helped his dad with the chore of milking
and had since he was six years old. 卫le cow he milked was a small cow
and went by the name of Abby. Kyle would feed her extra hay when his
dad wasn't looking. Abby was his friend and would follow him when
he walked in the pasture. Kyle opened the barn door and found his dad
putting grain in the manger along with some hay for the cows to eat
when they were in the barn to be milked.
    Kyle hobbled over to a bale of hay and sat down. As he sat there
watching his dad put feed in the manger, he felt a cold nose push under
his hand. It was Fetch, the dog, trying to get some attention. He had
followed Kyle to the barn. Kyle knew the reason his dad called the dog
Fetch was because when Fetch was a puppy he would fetch anything
his dad threw and told him to fetch. He even goes into the pasture
and fetches 出e cows when his dad tells him to. When his dad finished
putting the feed in the manger, he came over and sat on the bale ofhay
with his son. As he put his arm around him he asked.
    "What brings you out here? lt is too early to get the cows in the
barn to milk."
    Kyle leaned against his dad and replied.
    "I asked mom if i could have a Shedand pony to ride to school
when school starts again since i can't walk to school. It is about two
miles and you wouldn't have to take me to school everyday. She told
me to ask you."
    His dad gave him a gentle hug as he replied.
    "Son, 1 would love to get you a pony but the very truth is a pony
cost a lot of money and we don't have any extra money for a pony. 1
know you don't understand but someday you will."
    When Kyle was milking Abby later that afternoon， he kept up a
steady conversation with her. He told Abby.
    "You know if you were a pony 1 could ride you to school. 1 like it
when Dad puts me on your back and you give me a ride around the
barnyard. 1 don't think you would like the long walk to school. My
friends would like to see you. You know my friend Elsie has a pony but
she can't ride it anymore. She is sick with polio and is in a cast from the
waist down. 1 feel so sorry for her. She let me ride on her pony when
she was well. My friend Bobby has polio and is in an iron lung. You
know Abby二1 am lucky, 1 may be crippled but 1 can still go outside;
Elsie and Bobby can't. Dad has given me a ride on Smokey and Sandy
but they are big horses and 1 couldn't ride them to school. They are too
big and 1 couldn't get up on their back by myself anyway; besides Dad
needs them to help him work in the fìelds."
    Kyle's dad listened as his son kept up a steady chatter to the cow he
was milking. He knew Kyle was having a hard time milking Abby but
he sure had spunk and wanted to help his dad. He wished there was a
way he could get Kyle a pon予It would take a miracle for him to fìnd
enough money to buy a pony when they were now just barely getting
by on the sparse money they were so fortunate to have. He knew a
pony would give him more time to do the farm work and going to
school in the morning and a丘ernoon would s田e take a chunk out of
his wo rk time.
    Before Kyle crawled into his bed that night, he folded his hands
and knelt as best as his crippled leg would let him. He bowed his head
and said.
    "I sure would like to have a Shetland pony to ride to school. It
would help my Dad and 1 would take good care of it. 1 don't care what
color it is or if it is a boy or girl pony. 1 woul也1't even need a saddle
and it would be my friend just like Abby and Fetch. 1 wouldn't need a
pony if my leg wasn't crippled but the doctor don't know if i will ever
be able to walk without the crutches my dad made for me. Would you
help my mom and dad? Sometimes i see my mom cry because i am
crippled and she can't help me like she wants to. Thank you for Fetch;
he helps me a lot and lets me lean on him and helps me walk without
one of my crutches. Amen."
    After Kyle had said his prayers and was tucked in bed for the night,
his parents sat on the front porch and listened to the night sounds.
It was always a peaceful time of day for them. They quietly discussed
Kyle's wish for a pony but both agreed it would be impossible to buy
him one. 1hey would be lucky to have enough money to get through
the winter and have enough left to buy seeds for spring planting. 1hey
discussed how polio had struck Kyle and two of his classmates during
the last school year. They agreed they were lucky he had a milder case of
polio. His little friend Elsie is in a cast and may never walk again. Elsie
and her parents live just down the road a half mile toward the school.
1hey are such nice neighbors. The sound of the porch swing fit right
in with the sounds of night as they gently swung with his brawny arm
around her as she lay with her head against his chest. It was so quiet she
could hear his heart beat above the chirp of the crickets. She looked up
and said to her husband.
    "Jim everything has a special way of working out."
    She then reached up and gave him a litde kiss.
    Kyle awoke the next morning to the sound of his mother in the
kitchen and his dad carrying the milk pails to the barn as they clanged
together. Just as he was getting out of the warm bed, his mother gently
called for him to get up; it was time for him to help his dad milk the
cows before breakfast. Kyle crawled into his overall and put on a shirt.
His dad always milked the cows while his mom prepared breakfast. He
had told Kyle.
    "Breakfast taste better if you have done a little work first."
    Breakfast always tasted good to Kyle after he had milked Abby;
yes, his dad was right. Sometimes they could smell the bacon frying
when they were coming toward the house with full milk buckets.
Kyle hobbled out to the barn with his crutches and received a friendly
welcome.
    "Good morning Son." His dad said.
    Then he received a lick on the hand from Fetch and a friendly,
moo, from Abby二1he sun was just peeking over the horizon. Kyle just
knew this was going to be a great day!
    After the milking was through, they turned the cows out into
the pasture for the day and separated the morning milking. They both
washed their hands when they were through and ready for breakfast.
Kyle's mom had breakfast ready and sitting on the table. She had fried
some of the eggs Kyle had gathered from the hen house the evening
before. 1hat was one of his daily chores. It was hard carrying the eggs
with his crutches so Fetch always helped him. Fetch would gently carry
the egg basket in his mouth. Kyle's dad said Grace and then it was time
to eat. During breakfast Kyle wanted to ask just one more time for a
pony but knew better. His dad said.
    "Kyle, you better eat a hearty breakfast because today you and 1
have to clean the stalls in the barn and haul what we clean out to the
fields and spread it with the manure spreader."
    A丘er breakfast, Kyle hobbled out to 出e barn with his crutches and
watched as his dad put 出e harness on 出e team ofhorses. When he had
Smokey and Sandy harnessed, he picked Kyle up and placed him on
Smokey's back. Kyle hung onto the harness hames as his dad led the
horses out of the barn and over to hitch them to 出e man ure sp reader.
After the team was hitched to 出e manure spreader, Kyle's dad took
him off of Smokey's back and sat him on the seat of the spreader. 1hen
off toward the barn they went to clean out the stalls.
    Kyle and his dad were in the barn cleaning out the stalls when
Elsie's dad, Mr. Tucker came in the barn door. Kyle saw him first and
said.
    "Hi Mr. T ucker, Dad and 1 are cleaning out the stalls."
    Mr. Tucker gave Kyle a huge smile as he picked him up and gave
him a hug. After he sat Kyle down, Kyle's dad shook Mr. Tucker's hand
and asked him.
    "What brings you over here this time of morning?"
    Mr. Tucker asked Jim, Kyle's dad, if they could talk outside. A丘er
they were outside Mr. Tucker said.
    "Jim, 1 came over to see if you would do something for me. 1
wanted to keep Molly, Elsie's little pony but she is going blind. 1he
Veterinarian told me she will not get any better and needs to be put
down. He offered to put her to sleep but 1 am so short of money; 1 told
him 1 would do it myself. 1 tried to put her down yesterday but 1 just
couldn't do it. 1 came over this morning to see if you would put her
down for me."
    Kyle had been standing inside the barn listening to his dad and Mr.
Tucker talk. When he heard what they were talking about, he hobbled
as fast as he could out of the barn as he yelled.
    "Let me have Molly. 1 will take good care ofher. She can give me a
ride to school even if she can元see. 1 will show her where to go and tal<e
good care of her until Elsie gets well. Please."
    Both men were startled and had hoped Kyle would not hear their
conversation. Finally Mr. Tucker said.
    "Jim, 1 don't know. 1 would feel horrible if Kyle got hurt riding a
pony who is going blind. 1 would give Molly to Kyle if you thought it
could possible work out."
    Kyle's dad thought a moment then replied.
    "Let me talk to Mrs. Wyatt tonight about this. It just may not hurt
a thing to give Kyle's suggestion a try. 1 will be over in the morning and
give you an answer.
    Mr. Tucker gave Kyle a pat on top ofhis head as he said.
    "Kyle, 1 hate that Molly is going blind. She is such a young and
gentle pony. If your parents decide you can have her, you be very careful
when you ride her, with her losing her sight she will tend to stumble."
    Mr. Tucker shook Kyle's dad hand as he said.
    "Jim, 1 will see you in the morning. 1 won't keep you from your
task of cleaning out the stall. 1 know Kyle just can't wait to get back in
the barn and get his hands on a pitch fork."
    He winked and grinned as he was talking. Fetch had been sitting
by Kyle wagging his tail and listening as if he understood everything
being said. When Mr. Tucker turned to leave, Fetch went over by him
to get his usual pat on his head good-by. He liked Mr. Tucker, ever
since he had met him when Kyle had gone to visit Elsie 出e first time
and she let Kyle ride on Molly. Fetch and Molly had become good
friends during this time also.
    Kyle tried to sit on the porch swing with his parents after they
had eaten supper and all the chores were done. He sat on the porch
swing with them but just could not stay awark. The work he had done
with his dad all day just helped make the sandman come early. He
had wanted to stay awake to listen to his parents discuss Molly. After
Kyle had fallen to sleep his dad carried him into the house and tucked
him into bed. He returned to the swing on the porch and started the
evening ritual of listening to the sounds of the evening with his wife
tucked safely in his arm.
    After they had settled in for the evening on the swing, he told
her of his conversation with Mr. Tucker. She had already heard the
whole story from Kyle and had been in deep thought arguing with
her self over what to do while Jim had carried Kyle to bed. Fetch was
dozing next to the swing but stilllistening for anything unusual going
on in the darkness. Kyle's mom felt sorry for Molly and in the back of
her mind she thought if Molly still has some eye sight left maybe she
needed a chance at life. Her husband argued that Kyle could be injured
riding a pony losing its eyesight. He also realized all the feed the pony
would eat he could feed a milk cow and sell its milk. He kept thinking
about the time it would cost him carrying Kyle to and from school
when he needed to be working in the field. 1hey both quietly discussed
their feelings late into the night.τhey decided to get a good night's
sleep and make their decision in the morning.
    Kyle awoke the next morning before the rooster had crowed to
welcome the new day. As he was slipping into his overalls, he heard his
parents talking about Molly and then his dad going out of the door
with the milk pails clanging together as he carried them. He hurriedly
put on his shirt along with his socks and shoes. He didn't even tie his
shoes before he headed for the kitchen. His mom was starting breakfast.
When he stepped into the kitchen, he was met with her gentle smile
as she told him.
    "Your dad has already gone to the barn to milk the cows. You
better run along and help him."
    Kyle started to ask her about Mollie but instead put on his hat and
out the door he hobbled with his crutches to help his dad.
    As Kyle hobbled into the barn, he was met with a friendly.
    "Good morning son; you better grab your milk pail and get Abby
milked. After breakfast we need to go see if Mr. Tucker will still1et you
have Molly or ifhe has changed his mind."
    Kyle could not believe what he had just heard. He stammered.
    "Do 1 really get to have Molly?"
    Kyle's dad replied.
    "Your mother and 1 decided to see if it would work out okay. Your
mom thinks Molly needs a chance as long as she still isn't completely
blind. You will be completely responsible for Mollie's care."
    Kyle picked up his milk pail and as he milked Abby, he kept up a
continuous chatter with her about Molly.
    After the milking was completed and the cows turned out into the
pasture for the day, Kyle turned the handle on the milk separator for
his dad and then helped him fÌnish the morning chores before going in
the house to eat breakfast. As they did the chores, Kyle became overly
anxious to get the morning chores done so they could go get Molly. His
dad cautioned him to feed all the animals as they should be fed and
don't waste grain because he is in a rush. He said.
    "Kyle, always remember to treat your animals with kindness; feed
and water them properly. You know we depend on them to put food on
our table and they must depend 011 us to feed and treat them right."
    After all chickens, ducks, pigs, cows, and horses had been fed
and watered, Kyle and his dad went into the house for a hot waiting
breakfast. As they sat at the breakfast table, Kyle's parent's told him
they were willing to take a chance and let him have Molly. He must be
very careful when he rode her and the care would be up to him. They
could not afford a saddle so he would have to ride Molly bareback.
Kyle promised to take very, very very good care of Molly and he didn't
care if he had a saddle for her, just as long as he had a pony to ride to
school and to take care oE Kyle's parents again cautioned him they were
willing to give Molly a chance but if it didn't work out or proved to be
too dangerous, then she would have to go to pony heaven.
    After breakfast was fÌnished, Kyle gave his mother a kiss and
thanked her for giving Molly a chance and for letting him have her.
Kyle's dad hugged his wife as he said.
    "Mrs. Wyatt, you sure feed your family good. Kyle and 1 are going
to ride Smokey over to see the T uckers. If Mr. T ucker still agrees to give
Kyle MOllY' Kyle can ride her home."
    Kyle already had hobbled out the kitchen door with his crutches
and was anxiously waiting at the front yard gate with Fetch. Kyle's dad
yelled to Kyle from the front porch.
    "Your mother has some table scraps for Fetch; you know he needs
to eat also. Why don't you feed him while 1 go out to the barn and put
the bridle on Smokey so we can ride him over to the Tuckers?"
    By the time Kyle's dad was leading Smokey out of the barn, Kyle
had fed Fetch the table scraps and Fetch has already wolfed them down.
Fetch then looked around to see if another dog had eaten his food since
it had disappeared so fast from his dog dish. Kyle watched as his dad
swung upon Smokey's back and rode to where he was standing. One
of his dad's strong arms reached down and swept Kyle up into the air
and deposited him on Smokey's back behind him. As Smokey plodded
out of the driveway and turned up the dusty country road toward the
Tuckers with an excited young lad, Fetch ran along side of them.
    When Smokey turned into the Tucker's driveway, Mr. Tucker
was just coming out of the barn. Kyle heard a little voice say, hi Mr.
Wyatt.