One morning when O’Toole woke up, he heard a clatter outside.   He jumped out of bed and ran to the window. Across the street there was an empty lot with a high fence around it. He had looked at this empty lot many times but there was never anything very interesting in the lot. But today it was different.

From his bedroom window O’Toole could see a great big steam shovel digging in the dirt.  He could see the steam shovel dumping the dirt into big trucks.   Then he saw dump trucks that were full of dirt leaving the lot.  More empty trucks were coming into the lot.  He also saw a Workman going back and forth.  The workmen were moving things around.  The workmen were stacking up bricks. All kinds of interesting things were happening across the street.  O’Toole could see it all from his bedroom window.

O’Toole was busy watching the steam shovel, the dump trucks, and the workmen.  He did not notice his mother calling him.

O’Toole’s mother said to O’Toole — What are you watching out your window?

O’Toole answered – I am looking at the dump trucks in the empty lot across the street.

O’Toole’s mother said – Goodness, you’re not dressed yet. We need to get you dressed and downstairs. You need to eat some breakfast. The machines are building a nice new building on that empty lot. Let us get dressed so you can go downstairs.  Then you can watch them while you play.

After breakfast O’Toole ran back up to his bedroom. He opened the window so he could hear all of the noise. Clang bang boom roar. It was so exciting.  He watched the steam shovel dig deep into the ground. He watched the dump trucks rumble in and wait.  The steam shovel filled them up with all that fresh dirt. He watched the dump trucks drive out the lot.  They went way down the street. O’Toole was very happy. But then his mother came into O’Toole’s room.

His mother said — O’Toole you can’t stay in your room all day. It’s time for you to go outside into the sunshine and play with the other children.

O’Toole said — OK mother, I can do that. I’ll watch the machines from downstairs on the porch.

O’Toole went downstairs and sat on his porch but he could not see past the big fence. Guess what he did.  He looked both ways and then ran across the street to get closer to the fence.

O’Toole said — I still cannot see the steam shovel. I cannot see the dump trucks. I cannot see the workman. All I can see is a high fence.

O’Toole ran to the gate where the big trucks were going in and out of the empty lot. He could see now. Then a man came to him and stood right in front of him.  Oh My!

Mr. Foreman said – Please go away little boy. It’s not safe for you to be around here. You cannot stay here.

O’Toole said– but I’m so little. I can’t see over your big fence. I want to see the machines and the men doing their work.

O’Toole started praying that God would give him a place where he could see all the activity and be safe.

He looked at the fence and looked for a place where he could peek under the fence. But that did not work. Mr. Foreman came back.

Mr. Foreman said — Little boy you are still not in a safe place. Please go home. You cannot stay here.

O’Toole looked around and prayed again for God to give him a place that was safe so he could watch the machines.  He found an old drainpipe by the fence and stood on top of that drainpipe. But that did not work. He found an old box and stood up on top of that box. But that did not work. Then Mr. Foreman came back again.

Mr. foreman said — Little boy you really need to go home. You cannot climb here. You cannot watch from here.  You need to be where it is safe. You are so small. It would be very easy for my men to not see you and then something bad could happen. Please go home.

O’Toole prayed again for God to give him away to watch that would be safe.  Then an idea came to O’Toole.  I will go home and get my drill.  I will make a hole in the fence where it’s safe.  Then I can watch all of the work getting done. So, O’Toole went home and got his drill.  He came back to the fence and drilled the hole. Once again Mr. Foreman came by to the place where O’Toole was standing.  His concern for O’Toole’s safety was showing on his face.

Mr. Foreman said — Little boy what are you doing now?

O’Toole said — I have drilled the hole in the fence so that I can watch safely.

Mr. Foreman replied — That’s a very good idea little boy.   Please let me help you out.

Mr. Foreman walked away to his pickup truck.  He came back with a big drill.  Mr. Foreman drilled a really big hole in the fence.  Now O’Toole could easily watch the men work. It was safe. Mr. Foreman was happy.  O’Toole was happy.

Then one of O’Toole’s friends came by and wanted to look through the hole at the same time. Mr. Foreman came back with his drill.  He made another hole in the fence for O’Toole’s friend. Then Mr. Foreman made several holes in the fence so that many people could watch what was going on safely.

Mr. Foreman said to O’Toole — Little boy, your prayer was answered. God told me to make a way for you to be able to see things safely. Now we have done that. It is a good day.  O’Toole wondered how Mr. Foreman knew about the prayer.  O’Toole asked his mother about prayer.

O’Toole’s mother said – God always hears our prayer.  God can talk to anyone to get things done.  He told Mr. Foreman to drill the hole and help you be safe.  I am glad you were praying.  God answered.

The End.

Written by Ruth Liebers and Lillian Rothenberg, published in Humpty Dumpty Childrens Magazine, October 1955.  Adapted for ShalomTalk by Dan