Even though it was cold in the afternoon, the small town still had a lively holiday spirit. The last few days of winter break were fun for kids, and people who needed to shop quickly were bustling through the streets.
Emily, eight years old, was one of them. She was riding her brand-new pink bike, which had a cute basket and streamers on the wheels.
As Emily rode her bike down the path, her cheeks lit up with happiness, she heard a deep voice calling out. Officer Jenkins, a well-known figure in the neighborhood, was riding his beautiful brown horse, Thunder. She stopped and looked up.
Emily was scared at first by Officer Jenkins’ big smile, but his friendly voice made her feel better. He asked, “Did Santa bring you that bike?”
Emily said with pride, “Yes, Santa brought it for me!” The cop looked at the bike and his smile got a little smaller. “Next year, you should tell Santa to add a reflector light to it.” It’s the law.
When Officer Jenkins gave Emily a $5 fine, she went from being excited to confused. She quickly got back to normal, though. She smiled slyly and asked, “Nice horse you got there, Officer.” Christmas brought you that item, right?” The officer laughed, being moved by her spirit.
The cop couldn’t say anything after Emily’s next comment. “Well, next year, tell Santa that the saddle goes under the horse, not on top of it!” The people around them started laughing out loud, and soon the whole street was filled with happy sounds.
Officer Jenkins couldn’t help but laugh as he got over his shock. He shook Emily’s hand and said, “You have a lot of mouth on you, young one.” I’ll let Santa know.” As he rode off, Emily felt like she had won, and she forgot about her fine. Officer Jenkins always made sure to be nice to Emily after that. Whenever he saw her riding her bike, he would tip his hat and smile.
Emily’s quick wit and confidence turned an awkward situation into a touching moment. This shows that even the youngest people in a community can leave a lasting impact.
