The Three Wise Men

Ted was almost entirely covered with the blanket, but he wasn't sleeping.  He was excited and he was waiting for any noise that indicated that they were coming.
   His mother told him in the morning: "Ted, you have to tell the truth, otherwise they won't bring you any presents."
   He started writing a letter; first he thought, "I should start by saying 'Dear Wise Men,' then he thought, "no, since Mom told me I have to tell the truth, it must be more formal," and he wrote:
   "To the Three Wise Men:"
   He picked up the letter that he had written for the previous year and started reading.
   "I promise to be a good boy, to go to school every day, to do my homework, to help my mother, not to fight with other kids and to feed my fishes."
   "Well," he thought," I don't think they will notice the day that I told Mom I felt sick and I didn't go to school, I didn't have my homework and I couldn't do it; that is a logical reason.  They must understand. I couldn't help my mom, because I had to go to school every day and do my homework and they must know that because they are wiser.  I didn't fight with other kids, and I couldn't continuously feed the fishes because they died, but not because I didn't feed them, I'm sure they know that.  In fact, I'm a good boy."
   It was almost 3:00 in the morning and Ted stayed awake, waiting for the Three Wise Men.
   He thought, "Maybe I made them angry, and they won't give me any presents.  Now that I told the other kids what I asked for, I should tell them that the day that I told my mother I was sick, I really wasn't, and I could have asked Robert for the homework, but I didn't do it.  I think Mom was right."
  He went to the living room, picked up the letter and broke it into little pieces.  Then he took a new sheet and wrote:
   "To the Three Wise Men:
     I'm sorry I couldn't carry out all the things that I promised.  But for next year, I promise:  I will always tell the truth."
   In the morning, when he opened his eyes, his heart was beating strongly.  He walked to the living room and his face was illuminated.  There was the new bicycle that the Three Wise Men left for him.

1985