Angel on Assignment

Chapter Six
Busy Days in the Springtime

There was talk at the breakfast table about all of the things that needed to be done, just about all at the same time.  Garden needed to be planted, baby chicks to be hatched, corn seed to get ready for planting and spring house cleaning.  While this discussion was still going on, a familiar sound was heard.  Carl Tinkler’s old truck was roaring up the driveway.

Uncle said, “Here comes Carl. I wonder what he wants.”

Carl Tinkler was a handsome man. His wavy well kept hair was becoming what is sometimes called salt and pepper gray.  He always seemed sad and probably for good reason. In a flu epidemic a few years before, Carl’s wife and only brother died the same week. His twin boys and little girl survived.   He had married again. His little son, Jackie was one of Little Child’s friends.   He often came with Carl, but he was not along this time.

Uncle went out to meet Carl. Little Child and Angel were watching through the window. Carl was carrying a box to the porch.  Sounds from the box drew Little Child and Angel right out to see what was crying “Baa, baa, baa, baa.”

The noise maker was a baby lamb with kinky black wool.

“Can I pet it?” asked Little Child.

“Sure,” uncle said. “She’s yours if you want her.”

“Goodie! Goodie! Goodie!”

Angel was in agreement with this exclamation. A little lamb would be a great project.

Little Child rubbed her hands gently over the soft black curls. Then she put her face down close to the lamb. The lamb began to nibble Little Child’s ear.

“I guess you must be hungry,” Little Child said, giggling and getting her ear away.

Carl reached in his pocket and brought out a pop bottle of milk with a nipple.  He let a few drops fall on his wrist to be sure that the temperature was just right.

He explained that cow’s milk needed a little water and sugar in it and to be heated enough to be warm, not hot, and not cold. Carl squatted down on his knees and helped Little Child to hold the bottle just right. That lamb was so happy!  When a lamb is getting milk, its tail wiggles and twirls at high speed.

Little Child giggled again. “Hey, happy little lamb, I’m going to call you ‘Blackie’.”

Uncle reminded Little Child of her manners, when someone gave her something.

So to Carl, she said, “Thank you. Thank you very much.”

“You are very welcome, young lady.  I don’t have time to take care of an orphan lamb. You will be a great caretaker for her.”

Little Child knew about the word ‘orphan’ because she had heard her own story of how she almost got put in an orphan’s home.

She had a question, “What happened to Blackie’s mother?”

“Nothing happened to the ewe. Blackie was born out in the barn lot in the cold. So I carried the lamb to the house to get it warm. Now I must have touched the lamb’s back. When I took Blackie back to its mother, she pushed it away.  A person has to be very careful not to get human smell on the lamb. The mama ewe will sniff the lamb and if it smells like human, not like her, she will never take care of it again. So that’s what happened this time.”