A Christmas Surprise

Christmas was pretty standard for me this year.  It consisted of a trip to my parents house in Wadsworth, Ohio aka Wadstucky.  We opened gifts this year and as we all sat around, my mother stood in the middle of us holding a small but shiny box.  The wrapping paper was a deep purple metallic.  A nice bow of thin silver streamers was tied at the top.  Everybody sat in silence, hoping that the gift would he handed to them.

My mom began with a story that sounded like she was about to hand out her most treasured family heirloom.  

I mentioned in my 1st blog that I played Baseball in college.  I used to be pretty good back in the day and was almost drafted out of high school.  We had a class that was geared towards students who would be headed to college to play sports.  It focused on time management, cooking, and how to take care of tasks while being on your own.  It was pretty basic, like how to write a check and make small meals in the dorm etc.  

Obviously, part of the curriculum included practicing safe sex.  Part of that was an assignment where we had to care for a baby as a parent would.  Thankfully, we didn't have to carry around an egg or an electronic doll that cried.  I had a troll doll that I was to treat as my own first born.  Needless to say, I was pretty embarrassed having to lug around a troll doll.  My plan was to hide the doll from all friends and family.  I wasn't about to subject myself to the teasing the was about to ensue if I was caught with a metaphorical baby.   

On the trip home from school.  I quickly stashed the doll in a storage compartment in the back seat of my parents car.  I really don't remember how long the project was to last, but I planned to retrieve the doll on the way to school near the end of the project.  The day finally arrived and on the way to school that day, I reached in the compartment and there was NO DOLL!!!!  I started freaking out.  I had to come clean and ask where the doll was.  I figured my parents had found the doll and assumed it was one my sisters, I ask if they had seen it.  My dad, said yes and asked why.  I explained it was for a project and that it was my kid.  He burst out in laughter fighting back the tears.  See, this is exactly why I kept it a secret.  He then went on to say.  They were car pooling and one of my sister's friends found the doll and was playing with it in the back seat.  Since it wasn't my sister's, they gave it to the girl.  I had officially JUST LOST MY KID.  By this team it was too late to do anything, so I had to go to that class and explain how I lost my kid.  Thankfully, my teacher was also the athletic director.  I explained what had happened, trying to put the most positive spin on why I failed the project.  I received and F for loosing my kid, but was given an opportunity to make it right.  I had to right a 10 page paper on how I was a bad parent and then had to write about how to be a good parent.  Which, is what I did and received an A.  

The shiny box came my way and began to unwrap it.  I opened the box and pulled away the tensile to reveal the exact troll doll I had lost many years ago!!!!!!  A couple weeks ago, my parents saw that same little girls mother while shopping.  I am not sure why, but my parents told her the story.  Apparently the girl never throws anything away and the mother looked in her closet.  Sure enough the troll doll was still there.  

So, after all these years.  My first kid has returned home.  I will keep it now and proudly display him in my apartment.  Just a small reminder that we live in a small world and you never know what may be around that next corner.

BEAL