Great Gifts


Man this has been a long weekend.
I've been wanting to post photo's for a while but I've had problems with my computer that wouldn't let me do that. Over the weekend we reformatted it so look for some pictures to start appearing fairly soon.
My lovely wife Angie got me a digital camera for my birthday so I can start making new pictures to share with you as soon as figure out how it works. (I've been assured that despite my fears it will not steal my soul) My son Ethan also got me a video game for the computer called The Elder Scrolls III MORROWIND. Game of the year edition. I look forward to playing it. My Mom got me cash along with a nice birthday card. The thing I look forward to every year the most is my Mom drawing a little smiley face on the envelope of my card.
My nephew Kris has not gotten me a gift yet but I'm sure he'll be trying to recycle his "greatest gift of all" line again.
I'm still playing with my new toys and plus need to write an "ABOUT ME" thing to attach to my blog. So I'll just post a quick one here today so Em can have her fix. I don't have time to write about my greatest gift ever so I'll write about the best gift I ever gave someone.
On July 2 1979, my sister Rose turned 18. My father dotted on her even though by that time she was a walking festering pile of evil. (She had not yet become a demon from the 6th ring of hell yet. She still had some more acts to commit to reach that level) Even though she had run away from home on the average of twice a month since she had turned 15 Dad still thought she was his greatest child.
This annoyed me to no end. It seemed no matter what I did Dad still didn't understand that Rose was....well evil. When I graduated from 8th grade earlier that year Dad got me a card. No gift . No party. No cake.
He didn't even come to the ceremony. We had just moved to the park that year so I quickly forgot the snub with all the pleasures living there afforded me. A weird thing happened to me out there. Before we moved to the park I loved to go fishing. My first thought when told I would have a lake in my backyard was that I would spend all my hours fishing. Yet it didn't happen. I tried to get into fishing more but it seemed somehow less special. On the late morning of Rose's 18th birthday I was sitting on one of the boat docks trying to convince myself that I was having more fun then I felt I was having. It was no use. I soon grew bored with fishing and instead was watching the great many frogs by the shore of the lake. I was getting ready to see if I could catch a frog with my fishing pole when I heard Dad call me. I reeled the pole in and ran towards the house. I left the pole sitting on the boat dock.
Rose was gone that day. Dad had her doing errands in town to keep her busy so she wouldn't see her present from him. It seemed he had went out and bought Rose her own Stereo system for her birthday. Dad proudly showed it to me. He had sat it up in the Living room for everyone to see.
It had everything. A record player, a radio, a cassette recorder, and a freaking 8 track. A 8 Track! What did Rose do to deserve an 8 track! She drops out of high school and gets a stereo system and I do well in school and get jack shit.
The final straw was when Dad asked me what I was going to get her.
"What", I asked clearly not hearing him right.
"What are you getting Rose for her birthday? "
He seemed to be speaking English but clearly wasn't making any sense. Why in heavens name would I want to get Rose a gift? Knowing Dad I knew I had to ask this in a way not to piss him off.
"No Offense Dad but have you gone completely mad? Why would I want to buy that witch a gift? Besides I don't have any money?"
Even though I said no offense Dad ignored me and took offense anyway. "You'll get her a gift! I don't care how I don't care where! Just get her a nice gift!"
Very upset I went back to get my fishing pole. I sat down next to the pole and thought about what I should get Rose. I remembered the birthday cake she made me that sent me to the emergency room. She clearly deserved something special.
It was there sitting on the boat dock that I saw what I was going to give her.
Later that evening when Rose came back Dad made her stay outside until the party for her began. If possible my other brothers looked less thrilled then I did. Dad had Rose go into the house with her eyes closed. He guided her towards the living room and had her open her eyes. Rose screamed in pure joy.
John gave Rose a pair of headphones to wear. I was grateful for that gift. It meant I would have to listen to the horrible music she listened to.
Dad motioned to me and had me give Rose my gift. I had wrapped it up in left over gift wrapping paper in our basement. It was a mix of Christmas and birthday wrapping. Rose looked at it trying to figure out what it was.
"Don't shake it", I said. "It's breakable."
Rose opened the gift took one look inside and screamed. She dropped it to the ground.
I have to give the frog inside the box some credit. He didn't just leap out immediately. He sat in his box until Dad was looking right in it.
"You don't like him? I named him Buster.", I said innocently.
It's disgusting!" Rose it seemed did not appreciate my gift. Dad made me gather up Buster and take him back to the lake. Geno and John were doing their best not to laugh at Rose as I headed out the door. I took Buster back to where I found him and let him go. It was while I was outside in the fading sunlight of the day that I heard more screaming from inside the house. It was Rose.
I smiled to myself. I then heard Mom start to scream. Then a moment later Dad was screaming my name. I turned around and walked happily towards the house. Almost skipping my way there.
Rose had found Buster's 20 or so friends that I had left in her bedroom.
Dad never again asked me to get Rose anything.
And I never have.