LeCretia Robinson walked quickly through the mall, trying to reach the toy department before 6 p.m. It was already 5:56. “Girl, you’re not gonna make it!”

LeCretia rolled her eyes at her friend Shelby before breaking into a run. Shelby laughed so hard that LeCretia almost stopped to join in. But she couldn’t afford to stop. If she stopped she would miss it. And if she missed it, what would Charlie do? Would she know what to say? The consequences of not getting there were too harsh for her to imagine. So, she increased her speed, nearly knocking down two older women loaded with bags, a kid and his remote control car, and a Christmas tree as tall as a skyscraper.

“Don’t think CeCe, just run… run like you’ve never run before!” That would have been easy to say if she weren’t already out of breath!

“OH!” LeCretia screamed as she went down. She flailed wildly, trying to keep her balance.

“I’ve got ya, miss!” The old man grumbled, grabbing her coat. He stopped her mid-fall, just as she was about to land, face down, right in front of his bench.

“Oh! My goodness… thanks so…”

The smell that hit LeCretia’s nostrils caused her eyes to tear. She straightened and fixed her clothes, chancing a glance at her rescuer.

Standing at 5 feet to her 5 foot 7 inches, the man resembled an elf. His hair was hidden under a dirty woolen cap. The dusty brown corduroy coat that had seen better days hung loosely over his gray patched trousers. The gloves and scarf that he wore were tattered and grayed with age. His eyes, however, caught and held her attention. They were as green as the Christmas Tree she’d almost knocked over, and more intelligent than she had expected.

“Thank you, sir. I… well, I want to show you how much I appreciate your help, but I really have to go. What’s your name? Are you going to be here long?”

“Nah, I ain’t going to be here but a few minutes, and my name is Charles… people call me Charlie.”

LeCretia, who’d been backing away slowly, stumbled.

His name is Charlie?

“Well Charlie, it just so happens that I’m on my way to see another Charlie! Would you like to come with me? It won’t take long. Then I can stop by the ATM and thank you properly for being my Knight in shining armor.”

LeCretia watched Charlie as he shuffled his feet and looked wistfully toward the exit. She also saw the brown paper bag shaped like a bottle at the foot of the bench.

“Alright”, he answered finally, “if it’s only going to be a minute.”

LeCretia grinned at his gruffness. Latching her arm through his, she marched toward the Lord and Taylor department store.

Up the escalator and to the third floor they went. Though LeCretia tried to make conversation, all she received in return were monosyllables and raised eyebrows. Mr. Charlie was proving to be a very tough nut to crack.

“The toy department is this way. Come on, we have to hurry!”

They could hear the sweet voices of children singing as they rounded the corner. Lecretia stopped, openly amazed at the beautiful scene that unfolded before her.

A stage was set in the midst of an atrium where the performers stood. Gorgeous white streamers and huge sparkling snowflakes hung from the ceiling. On the stage hung a lovely banner that proclaimed in red calligraphy “He Is Risen”, and below that banner… the most beautiful of all, stood three twelve-year old Angels dressed in flowing white dresses and cottony wings. As their young voices trailed off to end their song, the shepherd (music teacher Mr. Stratford) standing before them fell to his knees as if in awe, clutching his staff.

Sicily, the first angel, stepped forward.

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

Sicily stepped back, grinning triumphantly. Though her words had been difficult to understand, the audience applauded her with relish and standing ovations. When the applause died down, Ashley, the next angel stepped forward.

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

Before Ashley had finished, though her words were also difficult to understand, applause again resounded throughout the audience. Bestowing upon them a cheeky grin, she gave a quick bow and took her place beside the other two angels.

And now it was Charlie’s turn.

Please, please, please, Lecretia prayed silently, Lord, please help her remember…

Charlie stepped forward. Curly brown pigtails framed her adorable pink cheeks and bright eyes. She smiled at her audience, capturing every heart. And when she opened her mouth…

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Those aren’t the lines we practiced! Lecretia gasped as her smiling little sister continued.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”

Grinning and clapping, Charlie skipped back to her place beside the other two angels. There was a hush in the crowd, and rightly so. These three beautiful angels were the products of Morrison Christian Academy for Special Needs Children. All three of them had been diagnosed with moderate to severe mental retardation.

Tears welled in LeCretia’s eyes because, though Charlie’s case was the most severe of the three girls, her performance had been flawless! People in the crowd began to stand, one by one, clapping and whistling. Some parents, who knew Charlie, were laughing and crying all at once, while others were glued to their seats in awe.

LeCretia was so shocked that she almost missed the miracle taking place right beside her. The other Charlie, Mr. Charlie that is, was sobbing and shaking.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests…”

The three angels finished together and took their bow. The crowd continued to howl their support and whistle as the young ladies skipped off of the stage.

“My daughter… she said them same words to me once.”

LeCretia handed Mr. Charlie a Kleenex from her pocket and hugged him with all of her might.

“And that little girl… she done read what my Leslie used to read to me when I was my drunkest, “He came to give you good news Daddy, to heal your hurtin’ heart and to set you free”. I’d laugh at her and say, “Leslie honey, ain’t nothin’ stronger than this here drink… ain’t nothin’ strong enough to set me free. I almost believed her. But when she died… I just couldn’t believe, not no more.”

“Do you”, Mr. Charlie continued shyly, “Do you think he still wants to give me beauty for ashes…gladness for my mourning?”

“Jesus love you… Jesus love you a lot!”

LeCretia started as Charlie spoke. The child had quietly approached and wrapped her arms around them. LeCretia and Mr. Charlie laughed as she began to sing at the top of her lungs, “Jesus loves me, this I know…”

And then Lecretia cried. She cried because Mr. Charlie, after sixty-seven years of fighting, had finally surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. Praying silently, she thanked God for all He had done that night. Her new friend had promised to join her and Charlie at church on Sunday morning after she’d written down, for him, the name and the address.

Jesus is truly the reason for the season! She thought as she turned to Charlie and smiled. Charlie grinned back and whispered loudly, “Was he poor CeCe? Jesus help him?”

Lecretia nodded, then caught herself…

“Charlie… where did you learn those lines… the ones you said on stage?”

“I know my lines CeCe… This is a sign to you: You will find baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a man-sher.” Charlie twirled in a circle, laughing as she danced about.

LeCretia gaped at Charlie in wonder.

Well Lord, she thought, hugging Charlie and heading toward the exit. Now I know what a Christmas miracle feels like!

© Chantay Marie James 2004.