For years now, whenever Christmas pageants are talked about in a certain little town in the Midwest, someone is sure to mention the name of Wallace Purling.<\/p>\n
Wally\u2019s performance in one annual production of the Nativity play has slipped into the realm of legend. But the old-timers who were in the audience that night never tire of recalling exactly what happened.<\/p>\n
Wally was nine that year and in the second grade, though he should have been in the fourth. Most people in town knew that he had difficulty keeping up. He was big and awkward, slow in movement and mind.<\/p>\n
Still, Wally was well liked by the other children in his class, all of whom were smaller than he, though the boys had trouble hiding their irritation when Wally would ask to play ball with them or any game, for that matter, in which winning was important.<\/p>\n
They\u2019d find a way to keep him out, but Wally would hang around anyway\u2014not sulking, just hoping. He was a helpful boy, always willing and smiling, and the protector, paradoxically, of the underdog. If the older boys chased the younger ones away, it would be Wally who\u2019d say, \u201cCan\u2019t they stay? They\u2019re no bother.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wally fancied the idea of being a shepherd in the Christmas pageant, but the play\u2019s director, Miss Lumbard, assigned him a more important role. After all, she reasoned, the innkeeper did not have too many lines, and Wally\u2019s size would make his refusal of lodging to Joseph more forceful.<\/p>\n
And so it happened that the usual large, partisan audience gathered for the town\u2019s yearly extravaganza of crooks and creches, of beards, crowns, halos and a whole stageful of squeaky voices.<\/p>\n
No one on stage or off was more caught up in the magic of the night than Wallace Purling. They said later that he stood in the wings and watched the performance with such fascination that Miss Lumbard had to make sure he didn\u2019t wander onstage before his cue.<\/p>\n
Then the time came when Joseph appeared, slowly, tenderly guiding Mary to the door of the inn. Joseph knocked hard on the wooden door set into the painted backdrop. Wally the innkeeper was there, waiting.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you want?\u201d Wally said, swinging the door open with a brusque gesture.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe seek lodging.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSeek it elsewhere.\u201d Wally spoke vigorously. \u201cThe inn is filled.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSir, we have asked everywhere in vain. We have traveled far and are very weary.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no room in this inn for you.\u201d Wally looked properly stern.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease, good innkeeper, this is my wife, Mary. She is heavy with child and needs a place to rest. Surely you must have some small corner for her. She is so tired.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, for the first time, the innkeeper relaxed his stiff stance and looked down at Mary. With that, there was a long pause, long enough to make the audience a bit tense with embarrassment.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo! Begone!\u201d the prompter whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo!\u201d Wally repeated automatically. \u201cBegone!\u201d<\/p>\n
Joseph sadly placed his arm around Mary and Mary laid her head upon her husband\u2019s shoulder and the two of them started to move away. The innkeeper did not return inside his inn, however. Wally stood there in the doorway, watching the forlorn couple. His mouth was open, his brow creased with concern, his eyes filling unmistakably with tears.<\/p>\n
And suddenly this Christmas pageant became different from all others.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t go, Joseph,\u201d Wally called out. \u201cBring Mary back.\u201d And Wallace Purling\u2019s face grew into a bright smile. \u201cYou can have my room.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some people in town thought that the pageant had been ruined. Yet there were others\u2014many, many others\u2014who considered it the most Christmas of all Christmas pageants they had ever seen.<\/p>\n