| all together. I would not find an easy ear with
the Lord, he probably knew what was best anyway. Thus I quit praying and
wrote :”Dear Christ Child - I did not find a toy for 10 Francs I would
like to have, but I do have one wish after all. Could you bring me a duck
for Christmas, a white one. I don’t know how much a duck costs and if it
is too much, then bring me something else, something that does not cost
more than 10 Francs, I don’t know what. Thank you and best regards. Hansli.”
The folded wish list was placed in the small mailbox in the large foyer.
And then came the long wait. |
|
Up until the 24th of December, Holy Night and
Christmas Eve.
One week prior a large fir tree had been set
up in the refectory, a tree so tall, its tip reached all the way to the
ceiling. But now, on Christmas Eve, all the candles were alight, maybe
more than a hundred, all white. Silver Christmas baubles glimmered and
silver tinsel shimmered. There was - just like every year - the manger
of Bethlehem, with the ox and the donkey, with the crib and Mother Mary
and Joseph and the little infant Jesus sitting on Mary’s lap. A little
hay, a little straw, and a red light were in the manger, and moss was on
the roof |
|
| of the stable. Each year the same scene and each
year it brought new joys. Everybody crowded in front of the manger, I among
them. And many of us glanced furtively in the direction of the half dark
refectory because on its tables all of the packages and parcels had been
spread. One could barely see them, all the way back from the Christmas
tree and light of the candles, all shrouded in mystery. But everybody had
to sit on the chairs, which had been arranged so that all could see the
manger of Bethlehem. And next to the stable Mr. Meister took his seat -
he was the highest boss in the orphanage; |
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