Free Chicken Soup for the Kid’s Soul by Jack Canfield Page B

from school, she had locked the door. She kept shouting and asking him who he was.
    “Rodney,” he said.
    “Rodney who?” she asked.
    “Rodney Schuler; I’m your sister’s grandson.”
    “Grandson!” Aunt Emily said with a laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous! Berniece is only twelve years old!”
    “Yeah, that would be pretty funny wouldn’t it.” Rod laughed, too, because that was the only way to handle Aunt Emily when she said things like that.
    Last Christmas, Aunt Emily went to live with Grandma and Grandpa. Every Tuesday, she would come to stay at Rod and Jenny’s house for the day—to give their grandmother a rest. Most of the time their mom was there to watch Aunt Em, but on this day Mom had to go to the dentist.
    Rod and Jenny’s house was on a dead-end street, so checking their block for Aunt Emily didn’t take long. Jenny was in the front yard holding Aunt Emily’s coat. She looked like she had just swallowed a whole red pepper. Her eyes were red and watery.
    “Rod, Joey Nicholas said he saw Aunt Em about five minutes ago. She was headed toward Devon Road.”
    A huge lump formed in Rod’s throat and stuck there when he tried to swallow. He could hardly squeak out the words, “Let’s go!”
    They sprinted about ten steps when Jenny grabbed Rod’s arm. “Rod, we should pray about this.”
    “You’re right, but I think today we pray while we run,” he answered.
    It was only three blocks to Devon Road, but Rod had plenty of time to pray. He asked God to please protect Aunt Emily and to help them find her.
    As they turned the corner onto Devon Road, Rod could see Aunt Emily about a block away. She was standing on the cement island in the middle of the four-lane highway. Cars were whizzing by at fifty-five miles per hour on both sides of her. She had her hand up as if she thought the cars would stop.
    Rod was just about to yell when Jenny grabbed his arm. “Rod, don’t yell! And pray she doesn’t see us. She might just step off the island right in front of a car.”
    “What are we going to do?” he asked.
    “I don’t know,” Jenny said. She covered her face with her hands, crumpled into a heap, and started to sob.
    Rod stood there looking at her for a second, dumbfounded and desperate. “Aunt Em belongs to you, Lord,” he reminded God again. “Please, help us!”
    He snatched Aunt Emily’s blue coat and rushed along the roadside. When he got directly across from her, he crouched down. He was praying she wouldn’t see him.
    Then Rod waited. It seemed like forever. Cars, vans, pickup trucks and huge semitrailers zoomed past, between Aunt Emily and him. She just kept standing there with her hand up. In spite of the cold wind, warm air from the heavy traffic swirled around Rod’s legs. He licked his lips. They tasted like exhaust.
    Finally Rod saw a break in the traffic. He lunged across the highway and grabbed Aunt Emily firmly by the arm.
    Rod said as calmly as he could, “Boy, Aunt Em, you must be cold. Here’s your coat.”
    Aunt Emily looked at him with a blank expression on her face. Inside of his head he was crying, Please God, make her know me!
    Slowly a familiar smile stretched across her face.
    “Why thank you, Rodney. It is getting chilly out.”
    A feeling of relief and gratefulness rushed through his entire body. Rod took Aunt Emily’s arm, trusting God to help him with the next step. “This is a really busy road, Aunt Em. Can you help me cross and get home?”
    “Hold my hand, Rodney,” she said with a confident smile. “I’ll take care of you.”
    Aunt Emily clutched his hand tightly as they waited for a break in the heavy traffic. “Be careful, Rodney; this is a very busy street, Dear.”
    When they had safely reached the other side of the street, Jenny was anxiously waiting for them. “Jennifer, what are you doing here?” Aunt Emily asked. “I had better get both of you home before your mother finds out you have been near this busy road.”
    As they walked home,