The Prettiest Angel

For the past 20 years I have spoken to all kinds of audiences in the character of Benjamin Franklin. I would wear costume and answer their questions. However， a small boy asked me a very special question that I never forgot.

One afternoon after a school convocation[集会]， I was in a fifth-grade classroom and preparing to answer the questions given by the students. One student raised his hand and said， “I thought you died.” This was a usual question and I answered it by saying， “Well， I did die on April 17， 1790， when I was 84 years old， but I didnt like it and Im never going to do it again.”

I immediately asked for any other questions and called on a boy at the back of the room who raised his hand. He asked， “After you went to Heaven， did you see my mother there？”

My heart stopped. I wanted the floor to open up and let me hide underneath it. My only thought was， “Dont ask me this！” I realized for an 11-year-old boy to ask that question in front of all of his classmates， it had to either be a very recent occurrence[发生的事情] or be something of great concern[担忧，关注]. I also knew I had to say something.

Thinking for a while， then I said， “Im not sure if she is the one I think she was， but if she is， she was the prettiest angel there.”

The smile on his face told me that it was the right answer. Im not sure where it came from， but I think I just may have had a little help from the prettiest angel.