Kentucky Chaplain David Chaltas

It was his first day of school. He was a shy little fellow, full of life but afraid of that dreaded first day of school. He was scared to death and wondered what might happen to him. He had heard about those mean second graders! As he slowly walked into the building beside his mother, he felt the tears welling up in his eyes. He knew that he had to be a big boy. Mom had told him that others would make fun of him if he cried, but he was so scared. He held her hand tightly as the teacher approached and introduced herself. She seemed nice but she wasn’t mom. After a moment, his mother bent down, kissed him on the cheek and told him to be a big boy and go with the teacher. Every part of his boy wanted to protest, but he knew that he had to submit himself to what his mom wanted as well as the teacher. The teacher reached out and took his hand, offering a reassuring smile.

The teacher slowly opened the door and there they were, children his age. He had seen one or two but never really played with them much. As an aide directed him to his seat, he felt all fifteen children staring at him with curious eyes. Now he was scared! He knew what he would do if he got too frightened and sure enough by the time he sat down, he had wet himself. Oh how he prayed that no one would notice and make fun of him. Just then a girl that he had seen in his neighborhood came by his desk carrying a glass of water to pour on the plants and spilled it in his lap, covering the wetness of his pants!

All the other kids started making fun of her, calling her clumsy and even the aide scolded her. All the bad attention that would have been given to him was now being given to her. Everyone felt sorrow for him. Everyone started helping him clean his area. Poor little fellow! All that is except for the teacher, who, with tears in her eyes held the little girl that was crying. But he was relieved. He was saved from being embarrassed by a girl who was obviously clumsy. And the others accepted him.

When the parents started dropping to pick up their children, his mother was asked to stay by the teacher. The little girl’s mother was also asked to stay. The boy thought that the teacher was going to talk about what had happened and she did. She knew. The teacher told the two mothers’ of the incident and then the teacher asked the little girl to tell what she had done. You see the teacher saw what really happened and wanted each party to know. Slowly the child stated in the innocence of youth that she had noticed the new boy coming into the class very scared and that when he went to his desk, she could not help but note that he had wet the front of his britches. So she quickly got the water glass and dropped it in his lap. When the teacher asked her why she had done it, the little girl smiled and said, “I know what it is like to wet on myself too.”

To me she seems a hero. To me she demonstrated true altruism, knowing the cost, yet willing to pay the price. Such love from a child. I think her action can only be explained by good parenting and teaching. Was she not following the example of Christ and offering herself as a sacrifice for another? The child offered herself up to be ridiculed for the ‘sin’ of another. She was innocent, as pure as the snow. John 15: 13 says that, “No greater love hath a man than this, than to lay down his life for a friend.” To me she seems a hero, and I don’t even know her name. But she saved this man that was that little shy boy on his first day of Kindergarten and gave him a gift that he will treasure throughout eternity. And after fifty years, I offer this unknown Good Samaritan my belated debt of gratitude and shall continue to pass the lessons of life forward, as I remain your obedient servant in Christ, The Old General

"No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted." Aesop