On the Same Wavelength
by bear bait
So I have a kid who, with his wife, has lavished gifts on their two kids at Christmas for their entire lives. It is just who they are and what they do. He is a rigging slinger and now chaser, and maybe unemployed for a while, and she is an Indian casino in-house banker. Runs the cages. Just blue collar and not making big money. But you would never know it with the kids at Christmas. They go all out and whole hog. It sort of puts me off, but…
Several years ago I bought a new-in-the-box-unopened vintage Daisy Red Ryder 200 shot saddle carbine BB gun. The holy grail of the Christmas Story movie. That movie is a family favorite of the men folk: me, my son, and grandson. Just the perfect movie. A classic.
I finally decided that since he is now 11 and BB gun time is fast getting behind us, that it was time, no matter what, for him to get it. It worried me though, that the grandkids had been so piled with Christmas presents that he might not appreciate it.
At any rate, I dug the BB gun out from behind some furniture in the garage, dusted it off, and Deb wrapped it. On the way into their house last night, I slipped it behind the writing desk in the entry way, and we went about our Christmas ever deal.
We all got our presents and began to open them. The movie Christmas Story was on the big screen. My present from my grandson was a tin with Christmas Story painted on it and inside a DVD of the movie, an apron, a cookbook, a recipe book, cookie cutters shaped like the pink bunny suit, and the leg lamp.
And just about when the kid in the movie gets his present from his dad, I started making signs to my son when the kids were not looking. I was trying to get him to go down the hall, find the present behind the writing desk, and give it to his kid. But if it ain’t a whistle, he doesn’t understand, I guess.
His wife, however, was not born yesterday. She hopped up, and down the hall she went. As the movie kid was unwrapping his present, so was my grandson. They both got their BB guns at the same time. The Perfect Storm timing. And was my grandkid excited!!!
He DID appreciate the moment. He said it was so special on so many levels. Gave me a kiss. We high fived. Bumped butts. His Red Ryder Daisy 200 shot lever action repeater saddle carbine now hangs on his wall.
Fun with a grandkid. He is a joy, and last night proved it. We were both on the same wavelength. Odd as that might be.
Merry Christmas — bear bait
