The "The Before and After" Story

The "Before"

It was an ordinary day.  Hectic, joyous, fun, amusing, enjoyable, etc.  You can add your own words to Christmas Day 1913 when my 3 kids showed up with my 3 grandkids and 1 dog.  To some that is just a drop in the bucket while to others it is way too many, but to Carol and me it is pure heaven.  What can be better than Christmas with the family.  The TV was playing Christmas Carols, the tree was twinkling and the presents were ready to be opened.  That was at about 11:30 AM.  Then everyone started to arrive and the fun began.  Carol always has appetizers prepared that everyone can munch on as we open the presents.  We all sat in the living room around the tree and someone suggested that we take turns opening an sharing the gifts that we received.  That lasted for one gift, than everyone grabbed their stocking and began opening the gifts that were small enough to fit into it.  Then the larger boxes were opened …. and within 20 minutes there was wrapping paper everywhere.  Fun?  You bet it was fun watching everyone opening their gifts at one time.  

The "After"

Only bad part about that was it is hard to see the look on everyone's face as they open that special gift that I wrapped for them.  Then someone suggested that Tampah, that would be me, open his large box that took up the entire area directly in front of our entryway.  I grabbed a piece of the paper and peeled away.  "Wow, what's this?" I said as I saw a printed picture of a lawn mower on the one side of the box.  "A new Lawn Boy," I said as I opened the large box.  My youngest, Tad, said, "I told the rest that I couldn't see how you could get that old mower up the hill on the side of the house without killing yourself, so we all chipped in and got a new one for you."  I looked at them, all with big smiles on their faces and tried to figure out how I could possibly thank them.  "Rear-wheel drive they told me you should have to get up the hill easier," Tad said.  He helped me unpack the new mower and we assembled the few parts that needed to be added.  Really thoughtful gift!  Made me think back about 15 years or so when they chipped in and bought me a neat three-piece suit, since they were tired of seeing me in the same old suit I wore all the time.  Well, the day is over and all are happy as well as well-fed.  Only thing left to do tomorrow is clean up the wrapping paper and look at the gifts I got.  Not hard to find my favorite!  Still sitting in by the front door.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.