The RingDing Caper: A Father’s Day Story

By Donna McMorrow

Have you ever had a RingDing? The RingDings from my childhood were delicious confections of chocolate cake, filled with gooey white cream and covered in milk chocolate. These irresistible snacks were wrapped in crinkly foil that we loved to fold into coins of pirate treasure. My mother stashed them beyond mine and my brothers’ reach on top of the refrigerator. 

One summer afternoon when I was seven, my brother Don was six, and my brother John was four, the delightful treats went missing. Mom called us in for questioning. Someone had taken the last four RingDings. She shook the empty box as evidence. Each of us solemnly declared our innocence of the crime and denied knowing who could have been responsible. Obviously, Dad was the culprit; we couldn’t get to the top of the refrigerator. Not getting the desired confession, Mom gave up. 

That evening the family had dinner outside on the lanai. The RingDing theft was discussed but remained unsolved. The three of us kids left the table to play on the lawn. We were running about catching the first fireflies of the evening and putting them into a jar. Don caught more bugs than John and me. He was faster and not squeamish about touching them. I was fearful of squishing them, so I held them so loosely they flew away. John was nervous about being bitten, so he was more action than accomplishment. He did a lot of chasing, but not much catching. 

Then several things happened at once. Don was putting his latest firefly in the jar that I was holding while John came in close to watch. A single firefly managed to escape and landed on John’s front pant pocket. John had been leaning in but straightened with a yelp. A funny scratching sound came from the direction of the firefly on John’s pocket. Don mistook the sound for the  bug and yelled, “The bug’s in your pocket!” 

Panic ensued. John screamed and ran, flailing his arms. Don chased John, smacking frantically at his pocket, which crackled angrily. John, fueled by fear, ran even faster, howling, “It’s biting me!” I screamed and joined the fray. I didn’t want to touch a bug, but I wouldn’t mind holding John down. Mom jumped up, knocking her chair over.  

Dad leapt into action and joined the chase. He grabbed John in a tackle on the fly, both of them falling to the grass. Dad cradled John against his chest so that even in the fall, John would be safe in his arms. Dad swiftly reached into John’s pocket to rescue him from the bug. Out of the pocket came a handful of RingDing wrappers. The great RingDing caper had been solved with the help of a tiny firefly. 

As children of our heavenly Father, we sometimes carry our guilt around in our pockets. We keep our guilt close. We needlessly hold on to the wrappers of our sin. We hope that others won’t look close enough to see our many faults. But then God reaches out. Our heavenly Father knocks us off of our feet with the power of His love. He wraps His arms around us and takes our pain as His. He holds us close to His heart. God reaches into our hidden places and washes away our sin. He gives us grace and forgiveness. He is our Father, and He loves us. Happy Father’s Day!

Donna McMorrow and her husband have been married for 41 years. She is a retired special education teacher, adoptive parent, cancer survivor and child of the King. In her free time, she enjoys reading, photography and painting.