Kris had been nervous for weeks about whatever it was she had been planning. Since mom and dad were leaving on the second Tuesday of December, she asked if I could take Monday off to have our small Christmas and gift exchange while they were still here. My present apparently had to be ordered and picked up that morning however so she had asked dad to accompany her to pick it up that chilly December morning.
They disappeared for an hour or two while I made a pancake breakfast which we enjoyed upon their return. Kris’ nervousness was starting to rub off on me and I knew something was fishy. Over the last year we had worked hard to reorganize our finances including a credit card consolidation loan among other things. So knowing she was nervous, I knew she spent more than I would have desired. My early guess was that she had gotten tickets to the upcoming Winter Classic which was being hosted in Washington. While that would have been a fun experience, I honestly wasn’t really interested in going, so I was hoping my guess was wrong. Wrong is exactly what i was…. Really wrong.
After a few small exchanges, smiles and laughter a small innocent box was a handed to me to peel the paper from. Immersed in the tissue paper within was a hot wheels car that I had assisted in picking out a couple weeks prior. So I assumed there was a story attached, but what I found under the car in the box was not a story, but a set of keys… Car keys!!
My heart raced as my brain explored what was happening and my blank stare in Kris’ direction was returned with a jubilant but still very nervous smile alongside the smiles of mom and dad. Could she have actually done what I think she did?
In my pajamas I was led to our neighbor’s house where waiting for me was a gorgeous Ford F-150 shined, fueled and eager to be driven. You bought me a car? For Christmas? For me? I was literally speechless. I weighed the ramifications of this while taking it all in and it was assured that the investment was sound, he focus was already traded in, and the plates were already registered. I owned a truck…. And while I might have had some reservations I about he feasibility, those thoughts were quelled and I fell in love with my new truck.
This was something Kris had been planning for several months, secretly shopping and pricing. But she didn’t want to do it entirely alone, she enlisted the help of dad who accompanied her on the test drives of several trunks under consideration. When this one appeared on the radar, it was still un-detailed and had not yet even been added to the dealer inventory. When they pulled it up front, Kris first thought “this one is perfect, but there’s no way we can afford it.” Kris must be a much better negotiator than I, because she widowed them down by nearly 5k from their asking price and solidified the blue beauty as the next automotive member if the family.
I remained speechless for some time and each time I drive it, I still struggle to accept that its actually mine. What an amazing gift that I can’t grapple how to be thankful enough for.
