Jeremy'sEgg
佚名/Anonymous
Jeremywasbornwithatwistedbody,aslowmindandachronic,terminalillnessthathadbeenslowlykillinghimallhisyounglife.Still,hisparentshadtriedtogivehimasnormalalifeaspossibleandhadsenthimtoSt.Theresa』sElementarySchool.
Attheageof12,Jeremywasonlyinsecondgrade,seeminglyunabletolearn.Histeacher,DorisMiller,oftenbecameexasperatedwithhim.Hewouldsquirminhisseat,droolandmakegruntingnoises.Atothertimes,hespokeclearlyanddistinctly,asifaspotoflighthadpenetratedthedarknessofhisbrain.Mostofthetime,however,Jeremyirritatedhisteacher.
Oneday,shecalledhisparentsandaskedthemtocometoSt.Teresa』sforaconsultation.AstheForresterssatquietlyintheemptyclassroom,Dorissaidtothem,「Jeremyreallybelongsinaspecialschool.Itisn』tfairtohimtobewithyoungerchildrenwhodon』thavelearningproblems.Why,thereisafive-yeargapbetweenhisageandthatoftheotherstudents!」
Mrs.Forrestercriedsoftlyintoatissuewhileherhusbandspoke.「MissMiller,」hesaid,「thereisnoschoolofthatkindnearby.ItwouldbeaterribleshockforJeremyifwehadtotakehimoutofthisschool.Weknowhereallylikesithere.」Dorissatforalongtimeaftertheyleft,staringatthesnowoutsidethewindow.Itscoldnessseemedtoseepintohersoul.ShewantedtosympathizewiththeForresters.Afterall,theironlychildhadaterminalillness.Butitwasn』tfairtokeephiminherclass.Shehad18otheryoungsterstoteachandJeremywasadistraction.Furthermore,hewouldneverlearntoreadorwrite.Whywasteanymoretimetrying?
Assheponderedthesituation,guiltwashedoverher.「Oh,God,」shesaidaloud,「hereIamcomplainingwhenmyproblemsarenothingcomparedwiththatpoorfamily!PleasehelpmetobemorepatientwithJeremy.」
Fromthatdayon,shetriedhardtoignoreJeremy』snoisesandhisblankstares.Thenonedayhelimpedtoherdesk,dragginghisbadlegbehindhim.「Iloveyou,MissMiller!」heexclaimed,loudenoughforthewholeclasstohear.Theotherchildrensnickered,andDoris』sfaceturnedred.Shestammered,「Why-Why,that』sverynice,Jeremy.Nowpleasetakeyourseat.」
Springcame,andthechildrentalkedexcitedlyaboutthecomingofEaster.DoristoldthemthestoryofJesus,andthentoemphasizetheideaofnewlifespringingforth,shegaveeachofthechildrenalargeplasticegg.「Now,」shesaidtothem,「Iwantyoutotakethishomeandbringitbacktomorrowwithsomethinginsidethatshowsnewlife.Doyouunderstand?」
「Yes,MissMiller!」thechildrenrespondedenthusiastically—allexceptforJeremy.Hejustlistenedintently;hiseyesneverleftherface.Hedidnotevenmakehisusualnoises.HadheunderstoodwhatshehadsaidaboutJesus』deathandresurrection?Didheunderstandtheassignment?Perhapssheshouldcallhisparentsandexplaintheprojecttothem.
Thatevening,Doris』kitchensinkstoppedup.Shecalledthelandlordandwaitedanhourforhimtocomebyandunclogit.Afterthat,shestillhadtoshopforgroceries,ironablouseandprepareavocabularytestforthenextday.ShecompletelyforgotaboutphoningJeremy』sparents.
Thenextmorning,19childrencametoschool,laughingandtalkingastheyplacedtheireggsinthelargewickerbasketonMissMiller』sdesk.AftertheycompletedtheirMathlesson,itwastimetoopentheeggs.
Inthefirstegg,Dorisfoundaflower.「Ohyes,afloweriscertainlyasignofnewlife,」shesaid.「Whenplantspeekthroughthegroundweknowthatspringishere.」Asmallgirlinthefirstrowwavedherarms.「That』smyegg,MissMiller!」shecalledout.Thenexteggcontainedaplasticbutterfly,whichlookedveryreal.Dorishelditup.「Weallknowthatacaterpillarchangesandgrowsintoabeautifulbutterfly.Yes,thatisnewlife,too.」LittleJudysmiledproudlyandsaid,「MissMiller,thatoneismine.」