Matthew and the Brazilian Emerald

Matthew and the Brazilian Emerald

by

Janene Baadsgaard

This is a special story
written for my amazing grandson Matthew
on his eighth birthday.
I love you Matthew.
Keep looking for treasures . . .


Once there was a boy named Matthew who was a marvel at finding treasure. He discovered shiny white rocks in his driveway, slimy snails in the bushes and blue robin eggs in a nest in a maple tree in his yard. What Matthew wanted to discover most of all was a beautiful sparkling green emerald. Whenever he told his mom he wanted an emerald she laughed and told him to practice the piano, do his homework, brush his teeth or go to bed.
So Matthew saved his money. He mowed the lawn for the neighbors. He took care of his friend’s dog when his family went on vacation. He saved the birthday money his grandparents gave him.
When Matthew had saved $36.17 he went to his mother and asked her if their family could go on an emerald hunt in the Brazilian jungle.
“You know we can’t go on vacations like that,” his mother answered. “Your brother Caleb is not well and we can’t take him far from home.
Matthew loved his brother so he understood. Then Mathew’s mother smiled for a delightful idea had blossomed in her heart.
“Would you like to go to a museum where they have lots of special gems,” Matthew’s mother asked.
“Yes!” Matthew answered. “Can we take Caleb too?”
So Matthew, his mother and his brother took a day trip to the museum at the university near their home. A professor of rocks talked to Matthew and showed him drawer after drawer of precious gems from all over the world. That’s when Matthew decided he was going to be a professor of rocks when he grew up.
On their way home Matthew, his brother and his mother stopped by the dollar store. While Matthew was looking at the candy, his mother secretly found some treasures of her own. Later that evening while Matthew was eating cake and ice cream with his grandma and grandpa, Matthew’s mother secretly slipped outside.
Then a knock came at their front door. Matthew answered it.
“I heard this is the place where I might find emeralds,” the man at the door said. Matthew recognized him. He was the professor of rocks from the university. “Do you mind if I do some digging in your back yard?”
“You won’t find any,” Matthew said. “I’ve already checked.”
“You never know,” the doctor said. “Sometimes all you need is a learned guide.”
So Matthew and the professor walked into his back yard. The professor searched each patch of dirt around the bushes with his magnifying glass and special treasure rod. Some times the professor scratched his head then looked at Matthew’s mother as he searched.
“There,” the doctor finally said, “I think you should dig there.”
Matthew took the professor’s hand shovel and started digging. All of a sudden the shovel hit something hard. Mathew excitedly reached inside the hole, grabbed a small box and lifted it up into his lap. Then he slowly opened the lid. Staring up at him was a box was full of sparkly green gems.
“Sometimes the best treasures are in your own backyard,” the professor said.
Matthew didn’t hear him. He was dashing into the house to share his emeralds with his brother.