Christmas is still a whole Thanksgiving away, but my 10 year has already began to campaign for a Christmas present. The child begs for an iPad. To which, I flat out said, “NO”. I don’t even have an iPad!

This morning, after I woke up the kids to get ready for school, I went downstairs to the Kitchen to get the day started. I immediate saw an open book on my Kitchen island, and on the open book, there was a sticky note with some scribbles on it. Clearly, someone wanted me to read this.

After a pot of coffee was brewing, and buttered bread was toasting in the toaster oven, I dutifully returned to the open pages to read the text.

It was a short writing titled: “LITTLE ABIGAIL AND THE BEAUTIFUL PONY” by Shel Silverstein.

It read as follows:

There was a girl named Abigail
Who was taking a drive
Through the country
With her parents
When she spied a beautiful sad-eyed
Grey and white pony.
And next to it was a sign
That said,
FOR SALE—CHEAP.
“Oh,” said Abigail,
“May I have that pony?
May I please?”
And her parents said,
“No you may not.”
And Abigail said,
“But I MUST have that pony.”
And her parents said,
“Well, you can’t have that pony,”
But you can have a nice butter pecan
Ice Cream cone when we get home.”
And Abigail said,
“I don’t want a butter pecan
Ice cream cone,
I WANT THAT PONY–
I MUST HAVE THAT PONY.”
And her parents said,
“Be quiet and stop nagging–
You’re not getting that pony.”
And Abigail began to cry and said,
“If I don’t get that pony I’ll die.”
And her parents said, “You won’t die.
No child ever died yet from not getting a pony.”
And Abigail felt so bad
That when they got home she went to bed,
And she couldn’t eat,
And she couldn’t sleep,
And her heart was broken,
And she DID die–
All because of a pony
That her parents wouldn’t buy.

(This is a good story
To read to your folks
When they won’t buy
You something you want.)

Just as the toaster oven dinged, I heard the children’s foot steps running downstairs toward the kitchen.

“Did you read the book I laid out for you?” said my wide-eyed 10-year-old excitedly.

“I did.” me.

“Good!” 10-year-old.

We stared at each other…then came: “I could DIE if you don’t buy me that iPad.”