Day 8 The Christmas Thief: An Advent Calendar in Prose

The Christmas Thief

An Advent Calendar in Prose

Day 8

Reilly caught Barnaby at Maggie’s, swilling coffee and digging into a stack of buttery pancakes. He slid into the booth opposite him. 

“Cup of coffee, Reilly?” Barnaby offered. 

“No, thanks, Barnaby. I haven’t seen you around for a few days. Taking a break?” 

“I had some business interests outside of town. A cute filly or two waiting for me at the track. They never let me down.” Barnaby signaled Maggie for the check. Scooping up the last of the syrup flooding his plate, Barnaby dug into his pockets and pulled out two bits. Dropping these on the table, he slid out of the booth, saluted Reilly, and slouched out the door. Reilly gave him two beats then followed. Barnaby walked with the same swagger he’d had as a kid. Still acting the wise guy.

Reilly remembered the ragged shirt and shiny-seated pants Barnaby had sported whenever he had dropped into the youth club many years back.

“How about shooting some hoops?” Reilly called to the kid.

“Nah, the ball’s too shabby. I never shoot with an old ball.” Barnaby had returned.

“We’ve got a new one in the back, I think.” Reilly went to the bin in the office. Empty. 

Running back to the gym, Reilly saw a blank space where Barnaby had been. The shabby ball was spinning in the center of the court. Reilly never saw that new ball again. 

Every few weeks, Barnaby had stopped by sometimes dragging his kid brother along. Reilly always invited him to play. Barnaby always refused, noting the shabbiness of the ball, the cracked floor of the gym, or saying that he had forgotten his court shoes. The other coaches gave him up for a wise guy, but Reilly felt there was something to save in the boy.

As times got harder for Barnaby’s family, the visits to the club had stopped. Now Reilly saw Barnaby in the pokey spending the night in a cell for picking a pocket or two. The judge warned him that one more offense meant reform school. Barnaby had skipped town the next morning.

Reilly wished he’d taken Barnaby up on that coffee. After tailing Barnaby half the day, Reilly returned to the station, cold and hungry, and chalked up the day as lost.

Why Jesus Came: Luke 19:10  “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (NIV)

Challenge: Many things get lost in this passage: a ball, a boy, a day. What or who is lost in your life? Jesus came to save the lost. Seek someone who is lost today. Offer Jesus’ salvation with a kind word, an encouraging note, an offer of financial help, or a comforting embrace. Seek and save.