Redemption

By the time that she was through, Click had made a beautifully carved, glass fronted Curio cabinet. As well, it was suppertime. As they walked toward the house, the image appeared by the door of the house, much to Dale and Thelma’s shock.

“It is a shame that the days are so short in the winter,” the illusion lamented slightly, “I would love to go on working.”

“That’s Click,” Cathy explained to her hesitant grandparents.

“But I thought that that was,” Dale argued uncertainly, pointing to the orb floating over the boy’s right shoulder.

“It is,” Grandpa assured, “But she creates this image.”

“So that you can talk to me, Dale,” The image explained.

Inside, Cathy excitedly led her grandparents to the jewelry box. Seeing it, the old lady was openly astounded.

“You made this for me?” She gasped, looking at the image.

“Yes,” the image replied frankly, “To show that I am a friend.”

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Cathy pressed happily.

“Yes!” Thelma admitted, admiring the carving in the wood, “Yes it is!”

“But then, you are all beautiful to me,” Click replied, “So, I enjoy making these simple things to give to you.”

“Simple?” William scoffed in admiration, “Honey! I haven’t seen you make anything simple yet!”

“Can my creations walk? Can they talk? Can they feel the breeze on their skin?” The image challenged thoughtfully. Then, she nodded, “Sure. I take scraps, and work them into things of beauty. However, I do not create the materials from nothing. Nor can my creations think, or feel. In that, I am actually little more than you and where you sit in awe of me, I remind that there is someone else more deserving of that awe and praise.”

“She has read the Bible,” David explained.

“Not once, but twice-and, in a single night!” Cathy astounded, looking at her grandmother with widened eyes.

“So she is a Christian?” Dale asked in amazement.

“A Christian?” William challenged happily, “She should be a preacher!”

Dinner that night was a delicious stew. Once more, the image respectfully vanished while they ate, with the orb floated over his head, feeding on the field around his skull. Where this was somewhat unsettling to the older Planchets, the food was so good that they quickly came to look past it. Once they had cleared the dishes away, they walked into the sitting room, where the image sat waiting.

“Okay,” William decided looking at Click’s facade, “You’ve got some very fine pieces ready. Do you think that we should sell them?”

“Yes,” the image acknowledged in thought, “But, in that, we are faced with a dilemma. This is the question of how to get them to the merchants.”

“Can’t you move them?” Dale asked uncertainly.

“Not unless you want to leave them overnight, or David to miss school,” she replied.

“But, why can’t you take them tomorrow?” Thelma asked in slight befuddlement.

“Because I cannot leave David for very long, and he is expected at school.” It was then that Grandpa had an idea.

“I will take the curio cabinet and the chair on the sled,” he decided, “Then I will ask that they send a wagon around to pick up the rest.”

“A good idea,” Click accepted.

“I will go with you,” Dale agreed.

“But, we had better wrap them in something to protect them on the trip,” Grandma stipulated.

“We have a couple of blankets,” Ma agreed.

“So, what do we do with the money?” Will asked.

“Well,” Click offered, “I was thinking that, first, we should see to everyone’s needs. If someone needs new clothes, or food, we should get such. Then, we could buy raw lumber. However, we should get some of the better woods, such as Mahogany or Oak. As well, we should get some brass fittings. Even then, if we do not have enough money after seeing to what is needed, then I can continue to work with scraps until there are enough funds.” With her saying this, it was obvious that she was referring to the Planchet family. In response, the old man shook his head.

“We don’t need anything,” he dismissed humbly.

“Dale,” the image said in a gentle scold, “There is no shame in your needing something. As Grandpa told you last night, we are all in the same mess. However, what would be a shame is your little angel, or you, or Grammy going hungry when there is a freely offered hand up. And that is how I want you to see it: a hand up. After all, there is no shame in falling down. The real shame would be to lie to yourself and others, and then for Grammy have to continue to do without medicine, or Cathy to have to go to school hungry.” A slight lull fell over the room, broken by Ma’s eventual stirring.

“I’ll take you to the store and we’ll get what you need,” she told Thelma in matching gentleness.

After a few minutes, William began to explain to Dale what he was learning in his reading. As they did, everyone sat listening, including Click, who would only comment if asked. Finally, William looked at her uncertainly.

“Am I right about all of this, so far?”

“Yes, quite so,” she assured him frankly.

“Well,” he said, “It’s just that I would think that you might want to throw in.”

“Actually, I am studying you,” the entity replied. Then, in the face of their amazement, she explained, “Humans each have differing characteristics. In such, they learn things in differing ways. Where I have a form of photographic memory, you do not. So, where learning to me is an act of absorption and I simply remember the fact, to you it is different. Human’s I am learning, have to have a connecting point of relevancy. This could a personal interest, an employment necessity, or a life necessity. In addition, there is the matter of the order that they learn. For instance, you have spoken a great deal about a jigsaw-Yet precious little about a file. In this, I am curious as to whether or not you are doing so because the jig saw is more complex to operate, or because it is capable of more things.”

“Actually, I hadn’t much thought about it,” William replied uncertainly.

“That is understandable,” she allowed, “But, in my doing this, there is a method to my seeming madness. Because, if I can understand how you learn, I can know how to explain things to you. In other words, I can speak a language that your mind with grasp. The more easily that it grasps this, the faster and more effectively you will learn.”

“In other words,” Dale ventured thoughtfully, “If you know that I am strong on-say-math, then you will explain things based upon that strength.”

“Yes, to a degree,” Click nodded, “But there are other factors, such as motivation. Grandpa is very self-motivated. I say this because he took it upon himself to learn these things, although, he seems to feel the need of support from a perceived higher authority. That is understandable, as he is one who will generally do things by a given guideline. This is what some call a ’By the book” mentality, because it places importance upon the process, and relies that the goal will be reached through strict adherence to such. This, given what you are doing, is a great outlook to have. David, on the other hand seems very challenge motivated. In other words, he sees learning as a challenge. That is why he so enjoys the game that he and Cathy plays. But also, he is more goal-oriented, in that he sees the destination and not the process as important.” Pausing she thought, then nodded, “Both outlooks are fine, and entirely acceptable. But, in wanting to help each in their learning, I have to understand how to present information to them.” At the end of this, they all considered her meaning. Finally, William nodded.

“Like I say,” he declared in a slight prod, “The dictionary is off-limits to you!” Even the entity laughed at this.