Pinkie

By Jane Nickerson

(Based on a true story)

A special gift is kindness. Such happiness it brings (Children’s Songbook, 145).

Emily told Mama, “My blanket’s name is Pinkie.” Emily got her blanket when she was a baby. Now she was old enough to know her colors, and she had given her blanket a name. Pinkie was fuzzy in some places and silky in others. Emily took Pinkie with her everywhere, except to church. That was because Mama said, “In Sunbeams you need your hands for other things.”

Pinkie had gone with Emily to Grandpa’s house for Thanksgiving. Now Emily’s family sat in the car heading home. At first Emily colored. Then she played I Spy. But now it was dark and the only sound was the hum of the engine.

Emily rubbed Pinkie’s silky edge against her nose. Rubbing her nose with Pinkie helped Emily think beautiful thoughts.

Daddy slowed down and pulled the car over to the side of the road.

“What’s going on?” Mama asked.

“There was a crash,” Daddy said. “We need to see if we can help.”

In the light from the headlights Emily saw a smashed car. She also saw a family huddling outside of it. There was a little girl. She wasn’t wearing a coat.

Emily knew that if she were that little girl she would be scared. She would be cold.

Emily handed Daddy her blanket. “Please give Pinkie to that girl.”

“Are you sure?” Daddy asked.

Emily nodded. She loved Pinkie, but that little girl needed beautiful thoughts right now.

Illustrations by Eric Barclay

We can use our hands to do kind things for others.

Let’s use our hands to clean the dishes for Mom.