The mysterious gift.

L>T's post here >>>>>>>>>>>>>Link

Reminded me of my tenth birthday.

For the week leading up to my birthday my parents were throwing around hints that my present cost six hundred dollars and would be delivered in a large box sometime that week.

In 1979 six hundred dollars was a shitload of money. My soon to be ten year old mind was filled with thoughts of motorcycles, go-carts, rocket ships and other things that were in that price range.

Heck, I watched Bob Barker and I knew what the manufacturer's suggested retail price was for just about anything.

For the life of me, I couldn't get my parents to budge and tell me what I was getting. I was seriously going to explode from the excitement and curiosity.

The day of my Birthday, the doorbell rang, I ran out and answered the front door and there was the mailman with a big box, about the size of small coffee table.

I signed for it and tried to move it inside.

The mailman told me that that box was way too heavy for me to lift by myself and he used his hand cart to bring my present inside.

The box had to weigh at least 100 pounds. It was too small for a motorcycle. But it was still big and heavy. What in the hell could it be?

My mother walked in from the kitchen and told me to go ahead and open it.

I ripped into the thick corrugated cardboard like it was rice paper, pulled out the packing and there before me I saw.....

A huge box of World book encyclopedias. They were bound in fake blue leather
and smelled like a public library.

My heart sank. I looked up at my mother who could barely contain her mirth and said, "uhh mom I think they delivered the wrong box."

"Nope that's your present" she chuckled, looking as pleased as a cat that has just taken a dump in a penny loafer.

I tried really hard not to look disappointed..well maybe not that hard. Looking back I should have jumped up and down like I just won the show case showdown. This way mom wouldn't have gotten her sick jollies from the whole incident.

I dragged the box to my room and put the books up on my shelf. Vowing to never open a single one.

That night my dad got home and he asked how I liked my present. I put on a brave front and said, "oh yeah the encyclopedias were great"

"Encyclopedias?", he said with a puzzled look on his face.

"I gave your mom $600 and told her to get you a go-cart...."

After I was done feeling sorry for myself I opened up Volume A to Ak and began reading the whole thing cover to cover. Over the course of a few months I was nearly through book "M" which was my favorite volume so far... especially the entry on matricide.

Looking back, I got an education out of those books that most kids never get. I should be thankful for that at the very least.