The Christmas Story Uncut
Read:
Introduction
Part One - The Census
Part Two - The Plan
Part Three - The Journey
Part Four - The Rejection
Part Five - The Angels
Part Six - The Manger
Part Seven - The Shepherds
Part Eight - The Question
Part Six
The Manger
Elias got a lamp and led Joseph to a small shed near his house. The lamplight revealed dusty piles of fleece and wool in the corners, worn shepherd gear hanging on the walls, and the inevitable curved staff leaning in the corner.
Using the lamp, Elias started a fire in a small earthen stove. Then he pulled a wineskin off the wall and handed it to Joseph. There was a flash of movement visible through the door, and they saw two women running toward the house.
Elias brought his chin up quickly and then back down. "That would be Hannah and Judith," he said. The door to the house opened, spilling light into the darkness. The women slipped inside, and the door shut behind them.
Joseph swallowed a mouthful of wine and sat down on a bench near the door of the shed where he could keep an eye on the house. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaled deeply, and leaned his head back against the doorframe. He closed his eyes, intending to rest for a moment, but he was soon snoring softly.
He awoke with a start when he heard whispering. He saw Sarah slipping out the door into the darkness. Elias noticed he was awake and grinned. “Sarah’s brought something to eat,” He said. He rolled up two pieces of flatbread, tied a string around each, and laid them in the opening of the oven.
"I'll just warm em up. I'm sure you're hungry after all you been through."
"Yeah," said Joseph, yawning. "Thanks. How long does this, uh, usually take, anyway?"
"Birthin? There's no telling. This bein her first, it might be awhile. Then again, she's been walking a lot. You been asleep longer than you think, too. Could be a few hours. Could be longer. Could be anytime now.”
Joseph rolled his head around, stretching his neck. He took a quick look at the house, then bumped the back of his head on the doorframe a few times. He looked over at Elias who was poking at the bread rolls with a stick.
"You know, I grew up here. I left when I was seventeen. Went to Nazareth with my uncle to learn carpentry. Long story. Anyway, I used to do some shepherding when I was a boy, but I don't remember you."
Elias nodded. "Yeah, we came here about fifteen years ago. Somethin like that. I used to do a lot of work around Jerusalem. My master brought us to Bethlehem to look after his sheep. Our whole family came. It's nice here; we like it fine."
Joseph nodded. Elias pulled the bread rolls from the oven and handed one to Joseph who grunted his thanks. It was filled with meat, and he ate it with gusto, wiping his hands on his robe when he was done. He wished he had another one.
Elias pushed the last bite into this mouth and walked over to the doorway. He stood beside Joseph, chewing, while the two of them watched the door of the house. He swallowed, hit his chest a couple of times with his fist, then belched.
"You're in town for the census, right?"
"Yeah."
"I thought so. I seen a number uh people in town for that. Mighty inconvenient if you ask me. I don't understand any of it." He paused a moment, then spoke again.
"What about your family? They ain’t here in town no more? How is it this is your hometown and you got no place to stay? And, f’you don’t mind me sayin, it's a funny thing, takin your wife on a journey when she’s just about to deliver. You know, I’m sure you got your reasons, but…”
Joseph was silent for a moment, looking for words and trying to think just how much he wanted to tell this stranger. "She's not my wife...yet. There's problems with family all around. We didn't expect to be without a place to stay, but…uh…well, we just got surprised is all. I made some assumptions I shouldn't have."
"Oh, you got family problems. I've seen it before. Had a few myself. Well, none uh that makes me no never mind. What's done is done, and we just gotta make sure this little one gets here safely."
Joseph grunted in a way that sounded like agreement, and the two of them fell silent again.
Elias' face suddenly brightened. "Hey, I didn't tell ya about the manger, did I?"
"Manger?"
“Yeah, manger. Okay, uh, when we first came here, I was doin a lot of shepherding. Keepin long hours. I was stronger then, and…well, anyway our kids was mostly grown, so Esther was a little lonely. We didn’t know that many people yet. So I got her this little lamb, see? She loved it like a pet, you know, like in that one story that Nathan told David?”
Joseph nodded.
"Yeah, she DID love that little lamb." Elias paused for a moment, lost in a world that was gone. "Huh! That little critter." He took a deep breath.
"Well, anyway I gathered up some stones and built a trough for that lamb. Sturdy one too, right there in the house. And that was nice, it was, but eventually the lamb turned into a sheep, as lambs will do. Then the grandchildren started coming. So Esther lined that manger with soft cloth and whatnot, and it made a perfect little bed for those grandbabies."
Elias laced his fingers together and put his hands behind his head, leaning back into them, smiling. "I got eleven grandchildren now, and every one of them slept in that little manger. And I got to tell you, sorry as I am for your troubles, uh course, I think it’s gonna be nice to see a little one sleepin there again. I don’t guess Esther and me will live long enough to see great-grandchildren, so…”
Something tickled the edge of Joseph’s mind, and he sat up straight. Things seemed very quiet. “What time of night is it, you think?”
Elias rolled his head around until he could see the moon. His lips moved a bit, then he said, "Oooh, long about the middle of the night, I'd say."
Without any prompting, both of them turned to look at the door to the house. Suddenly it opened, and Esther stood in the light, beckoning them to come over. Joseph jumped to his feet and ran to her. Elias stretched and came at a more dignified pace.
Esther grasped Joseph's hands in her own and said, "Joseph, you're the father of a fine, healthy baby boy!"
"Hey, what I tell ya?" shouted Elias, trotting the last few steps over and clapping him on the back. Joseph felt a rush of relief and excitement, but he was subdued around strangers. He nodded his head up and down in an exaggerated motion. He said nothing, but a single staccato laugh burst out of his lips.
He started to move past Esther into the house, but she stopped him. "Now Joseph, Mary’s asleep and needs to sleep. The baby's lying over there in that manger. I know that seems odd, but…"
Elias broke in. "I tole him all about the manger, Esther. C'mon now, and let this man inside to see his son."
Esther stepped back and Joseph hurried past her. She and Elias paused in the door, and she whispered in his ear. "It's good to see a little one in that manger again, isn't it?"
"Yes ma'am," he said, pulling her close.
rlp
Read Nathan's story of the little lamb
Click here to read part seven
8:48:56 AM 
|
