Five Little Pumpkins





Five Little Pumpkins

A Tale from Life in Beaver Valley

“The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them."

Proverbs 20:7

 

October is such a beautiful time of year in our little valley. This day was post card perfect. Bright blue skies set the backdrop for maple trees so intensely yellow they appeared to have seized ever ray of summer’s golden light. The country road rambled its way past fields of sweet smelling baled hay.

On the wide front porch of the store sat a huge bin filled with freshly picked pumpkins just delivered from the local farmer.  I could hardly wait for the kids to come and pick out one for their jack-o-lantern-carving contest. We charged only pennies a pound to make certain every family could afford to have one. Soon the porch would be filled with every imaginable cut and carved pumpkin entered into our annual pumpkin carving contest. No losers here, everyone won something.

          I stepped into the store when I heard a car drive up. I turned to see a station wagon driven by Mrs. Winfred with her five adorable toe-headed boys. The boys were stair-step in age, with the oldest not more than eight years old. I always looked forward to this family for each child was well behaved.

But it was obvious mom was in a really big hurry today as she rushed in the door leaving the boys in the car parked so close I could see all five little noses pressed to the car window watching intently― hoping I supposed for a penny candy each to enjoy along the way.

In a flash mom paid, dashed out the door and was zooming up the highway.

In a very short time I noticed the whole tribe was back.  I was curious to what she might have forgotten when I noticed with some surprise all five little boys marching single file in the door each hugging a pumpkin.

I thought to myself, how cute, five pumpkins holding five little pumpkins!

"Oh, did you decided to come back and get their pumpkins now instead of later?" I asked.

The eldest boy held up his pumpkin but with his head bent down. I couldn't see his eyes hiding under those long straw colored bangs. I thought, oh boy, he doesn't look too happy right now― how odd.

"Tell Mrs. Kamp you are sorry," the mother said sternly.

"What do you mean sorry?" I asked feeling confused.

"Mrs. Kamp, we thought 'cause the pumpkins were outside all stacked up like..... and -well, we thought they were free! So we jumped out of the car got our pumpkins quick to surprise mom on our way up to town. She was pretty mad when she found out what we did. We're awfully sorry," He said, barely in a whisper.

The picture before me was so precious, and so funny! But this mom took it as very serious business and a life lesson was in the making.

"Oh, oh, a big mistake was made here boys. Thank you for your honesty. You may go out and put them back in the bin now," I said, trying hard not smile at how serious and cute each boy looked.

There isn't a Halloween that doesn't go by that I don't remember those five little pumpkins. And I remember the mother who was determined to make her kids honest. The boys are all grown up now, good hard working boys in the community. And I wonder if they too will ever forget their pumpkin pilferage all those years ago!

 

“Five Little Pumpkins Tale from the Beaver Valley Store” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© October 27, 2015