Gifts

While at work yesterday I received a call from a local flower shop asking for my correct address and when I would be home because my mother bought me something for my birthday. As a previous gift, my mother bought me a full size turkey breast and had it shipped to me (along with three baskets of sausage links, cheese, dried fruit and nuts). So forgive me if i was a bit hesitant. I was trying to think of all of the off the wall possibilities that could be used as a gift from the flower shop. The worst I came up with was a box of tissue paper and some string, so overall not too bad. By the end of the day, I was convinced that my mother got it right this year and was sending me some nice flowers.

I went home and excitedly anticipated my flowers. A half an hour rolls by when my doorbell rings and I open it to find a man standing there with a tree in a pot with a small purple bow stuck in the dirt. That's right, I said a TREE. The man comes in saying "Happy Birthday" and starts to explain where I should put the tree. In shock I let the man in and he starts to look around for the best place to put it. We tried the kitchen, but the ceiling was too low for my tree, so we settled with putting it smack dab in the middle of my living room (where the love sack was). A few minutes of chatting and I find out that he dropped off another tree to my brother. I started to chuckle picturing my brother standing by his tree in the middle of his house (or in the words of the guy, "a dungeon"). I said to the guy "Ha! My tree will live and his will die" in a joking manner and the man paused in his tracks and looked at me in such as way as if I had just convicted one of his flesh and blood to some horrible fate. Trying to comfort him I told him I would check on the tree every week. We said our good-byes and I walked over to the couch, sat down, and marveled at how my mom topped the turkey.