Hankies . . .

Daddy was combing his hair, getting ready to go to the church office, when Debbie climbed up on the counter to watch him. She looked at his reflection in the mirror, and then back at him, several times, till every hair was in it’s place. Daddy used Brillcream that made his hair shiny as new black shoes. After his hair was just so, he reached into the medicine cabinet and splashed his Brute colon on his neck on both sides. Daddy always leaned over to let Debbie smell the fresh fragrance, which delighted her to no end. She breathed in a deep breath through her nose, closing her eyes and letting out a smiling “mmmmmmm.”
Debbie loved the smell of Brute on her Daddy’s neck almost as much as the smell of Daddy’s fudge cooking on the stove.
Daddy asked if his hankies were ready.
Debbie always helped her momma iron them. Right beside Momma’s ironing board, Debbie would set up her little ironing board with her little pretend iron. When Momma’s iron was almost hot, Debbie would pick a hankie out of the laundry basket. She would flatten it on her ironing board smoothing it with her hands. Then she’d take her little pretend iron, pressing hard, she would carefully run it over the hankie on both sides till Momma was ready to take it. Momma would place the hankie on her ironing board. Her big iron let out little puffs of steam as she glided it across the white linen on one side and then on the other side. Then she would fold it in half and iron the crease as sharp as a knife. Folding it once more she would iron the four edges till it made a perfect square. Debbie watched every stroke of the iron, eagerly waiting till Momma would hand her the warm square. Debbie would take the square carefully and sit it on the end of her little ironing board. They would repeat this over and over until all of Daddy’s hankies were neatly stacked.
Debbie told Daddy that they were ready. She got very excited when Daddy said that he would need two to take to the church office. That meant that Debbie was coming with him. Daddy set her down off of the counter, and she skipped off to get the hankies. As Daddy folded the two hankies together, placing them in his pocket, they said good-bye to Momma.
When they arrived at the church, Daddy would unlock the door to his study. He then took off his suit coat and place it on the coat rack just to the left. Debbie would reach into his jacket pocket and pull the two hankies out, giving them both to Daddy. He put one in his pant pocket, and then he would place one on Debbie’s hand like a little puppet. Her first finger fit all the way into the center folded corner, and the two corners on both sides wrapped around her hand where she would hold them. That left the last corner pointing to her wrist on the back of her hand. Debbie knew exactly what to do next. She took her hankied finger and began to dust the edge of each shelf on the first book case. Her finger was just the right size to get in between the spines of each book as she worked her way from left to right along each shelf. When the hankie was darkened enough, she would run over to Daddy to have him place her finger in another fold. All the while Daddy was typing Debbie would dust each shelf she could reach, running back and forth to Daddy for him to find a clean spot on the hankie for her to use next. When all of the shelves were finished, she took the hankie to Daddy.
Clearing a spot on his desk, Daddy took the soiled hankie and lay it out flat. He lifted Debbie up into his lap, and they looked at the hankie together. Most people, when looking at the hankie, would simply see dirt and dust, but Daddy taught Debbie to look closer, and together they would see images and patterns. They laughed at funny faces they found and marvel at the snowflake patterns that were created. Daddy was the best at finding joy and meaning in the littlest things.
Daddy then told Debbie that the white hankie is like our life, fresh and new. The work we do and time we spend mark our lives. Sometimes we may get discouraged, but when we take the time to give our lives to The Father, let Him guide where we are to work, and listen to Him, He will show us the wonderful blessings we have given to others, and we will see the joy that our life brings.
While Daddy finished his work for the day, Debbie found her favorite place under Daddy’s desk. She took the hankie with her to continue to look at and admire. She liked thinking about being able to sit in God’s lap, and having him point out beautiful and funny things in her life.
Soon it was time to go home. Daddy took the hankie, folding it carefully he placed it back in his jacket pocket. As he reached to turn the office light off, he took Debbie’s hand into his and they closed the door. Debbie skipped along while Daddy walked holding her hand tight. It was very quiet as they made their way home. “Daddy? . . . I like hankies!” . . . “So do I Debbie.” Daddy replied with a smile.