The "The Perfect Gift" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Watching my kids and grandkids opening their Christmas presents.  Some families go around the tree and have one person open a gift while all watch, then go on to the next person, etc.  Well, in our house it is a free-for-all.  Everyone opens gifts at the same time except for Carol and I who enjoy sitting back and watching everyone else open presents.  Don't want to miss all the smiles and happy faces of the family when the wrapping paper comes off, especially since it took me hours and hours to wrap everything.  Some of the family are at times hard to buy for, since it seems they already have everything a person could ever want.  But, it also seems that there is always one family member that is easy to shop for every year.  In our family it would have to be our son-in-law Dave.  Dave loves his gift no matter what you buy him, especially since we always buy him something football related.  He must have his entire basement covered with posters, framed memorabilia and matted collages of the many seasons that he has coached high school football.  

Zach Kerr

One year I matted and framed his high school jersey which my daughter was able to get from his high school.  Another year I matted and framed newspaper stories and photos as well as my own photos when his team won the State Championship at Ravens Stadium in Baltimore, MD.  I think you get the idea by now.  This year Carol and I struggled as to what we should get or frame for him until our daughter gave us the idea of obtaining an NFL shirt from the Indianapolis Colts with #94 on it which is worn by Zach Kerr, for you see, Zach who stands 6' 2" and weighs 335 pounds and was coached by Dave his entire High School career and is probably the main reason that Zach has been so successful in his football career.  Zach played his high school football for Dave at Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, MD.  He was ranked the 11th best player in the state of Maryland when he was a senior.  He was an all-state player as both a junior and a senior.  

Son-in-law opening his gift.

He played one season at Fork Union Military Academy where he was ranked 42nd in the nation among prep school players.  He then enrolled at Delaware where he was 2nd Team All-Colonial as a junior defensive lineman.  He was signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent on May 16, 2014 and has been an active member of the Colts defensive line since that time, playing nose tackle.  Fun to watch the Colts and pick out #94 making a tackle or getting a sack.  When Dave opened his package with the shirt in it I had my camera ready.  

Dave taking a photo to send to Zach.

He couldn't get the smile off his face.  Couldn't believe that we would do something like that for him.  I must admit that we haven't told him that it was a suggestion from his wife and I guess after he reads this story he'll realize how we got the idea.  He immediately snapped a photo of the shirt and sent it to Zach who quickly responded with a text of his own saying it so neat that someone would buy one of his shirts to give as a gift.  He's so glad that Dave enjoyed getting it.  We suggested that Dave wear it, but he said he didn't want to mess it up.  I suggested he get it autographed and I could frame it for him in the future.  So, you see how some people are easy to buy gifts for and appreciate every single one we have ever given him.  After all, he is a member of our family and deserves the perfect gift.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of ordinary guy.