"Hello, Malcolm."

"Oh, hello Emily."

"What are you doing?" asked Emily.

Emily could tell that something was wrong, but getting Malcolm to talk about it would be hard because Malcolm kept a lot of things to himself.

"Just sitting here thinking", said Malcolm.

"Sometimes I do a lot of that too", Emily replied.

"A lot of what? Mostly Emily you do all the talking."

"Well Malcolm, that keeps me in good company with myself."

For awhile the both of them sat and looked up and down the street,watching Mrs. Merritt from accoss the street water her grass and chase off their neighbor's dog, who loves her hyacinths.

Emily decides to question Malcolm about what was making him so gloomy.

"Thinking, you said, about what?" asked Emily.

"Can't a person just think, Emily!"

"Yes, Malcolm, they can, but they don't have to look so sad, unless it hurts."

"Does it hurt you to think, Malcolm?"

Malcolm lets out a long sigh and tells Emily that it does not hurt to think, but wants to be left alone.

"Okay, if that is what you want Malcolm, I will."

"Thanks" replies Malcom.

Well, if you think Emily is going to give up on Malcolm no way! They have been friends since kindergarten and now that they are in the third grade, she wasn't about to give up on him now.

The next day Emily goes over to Malcolm's house. The night before was sad for Emily because Malcolm was sad all day.

"Mrs. Turner, is Malcolm home?"

"Yes, Emily he's upstairs in his room. Wait here and I'll get him for you."

"Thanks Mrs. Turner."

"You're welcome."

"Malcolm, Emily is here to see you."

"Okay Mom" replies Malcolm.

Malcolm comes downstairs and greets Emily with a smile.

"Hey Em."

When Malcolm and the rest of their friends call her Em, she knows there was a smile and a good conversation coming.

"You looked so sad yesterday, so I had to come over and see how you were doing."

I'm just fine today Em."

"Well, are you going to tell me why you were so sad yesterday?"

Malcolm decides to tell Emily why he was sad. He knew if he didn't tell her, Emily would keep asking and asking and...well you get the point!

"Next week is my dad's birthday and I don't have anything to give him. My mom and sister have their gifts, plus my mom is baking him a cake."

Malcolm do you remember the Sunday school lesson on having FAITH," asked Emily.

"Yes", replied Malcolm.

"Well try it and you can get your dad a gift."

"But, Emily I didn't fully understand what FAITH really mean."

So Emily begins to tell her friend what FAITH means to her.

"FAITH is something you hope for and believe it will happen, or in your case, you will get it."

"You know Emily, today I will have FAITH."

As they high-fived each other Malcolm noticed that Mr. Rancher's dog was back in Mrs. Merrit's hyacinths. So he ran across the street, swooshed the doy away and straightend up Mrs. Merritt's flowers.

Mrs. Merritt looking out her window, was on her way out the door when she stopped and saw the good job Malcolm did. So, she offered Malcolm a job keeping Mr. Rancher's dog out of her hyacinths and keeping her lawn clean.

Malcolm took the job. He bought his dad a birthday gift and every Friday he would buy Emily and himself a nice treat.