One bright morning, Pockets woke up with a big question on his mind. “Are some jobs more important than others?” His mother, who worked as a nurse, smiled at him as she packed her bag for work.
“Why don’t you go out and find the answer for yourself, Pockets? Ask the people in town about their jobs and see what you discover.”
And so, with his pockets full of curiosity, Pockets set off on an adventure. The first person he met was Jack, the town’s street cleaner. He was sweeping away fallen leaves, making the roads neat and tidy.
“Jack, is your job important?” Pockets asked.
“Of course it is! Imagine if no one cleaned the streets. Trash would pile up, and the town would smell awful! Keeping Harmony Hills clean keeps everyone happy and healthy.”
Pockets nodded and jotted that down in his imaginary notebook. Next, he stopped by the bakery, where Juliette was pulling fresh bread from the oven.
“Juliette, is your job important?” he asked.
“Oh, very much! Food is what gives people the energy to work and play. Can you imagine a world without warm bread or birthday cakes?”
Pockets’ stomach rumbled at the thought. He thanked Juliette and took a warm roll for the road. His next stop was the fire station, where he met Cooper.
“Cooper, your job must be really important!” Pockets said.
“It is, but no more important than anyone else’s. A firefighter needs the mechanic who fixes the fire truck, the dispatcher who sends us to emergencies, and even the teacher who taught me how to read fire safety rules!”
Pockets’ eyes widened. He was starting to see the bigger picture. Next, he visited Miss Linda, the tailor, who stitched clothes for the whole town.
“Miss Linda, is your job important?”
“Oh yes! Imagine if everyone walked around in tattered clothes with nothing to keep them warm in winter. Every stitch I sew helps someone feel comfortable and confident.”
As the sun began to set, Pockets sat on a bench, deep in thought. He had met so many people, each with a different job, but all of them had something in common—they helped others in their own special way.
When he got home, his mother was waiting for him with a knowing smile. “Well, Pockets, what did you learn?”
“That every job is important! Without street cleaners, our town would be messy. Without bakers, we’d go hungry. Firefighters need mechanics, and everyone needs clothes! If one job disappeared, everything would be out of balance.”
His mother nodded proudly. “That’s right, my boy. No job is too small when it helps someone.”
That night, as Pockets drifted off to sleep, he dreamed of all the wonderful things he could do when he grew up. Maybe he’d be a doctor, or a teacher, or even a baker. But no matter what, he knew one thing for sure—every job mattered.
And from that day on, Pockets never looked down on any job, no matter how big or small.