Grandpa's Christmas Wish

Thanksgiving dinner had just wrapped up at the Taylor household. Tom and his grandson, Bob, get out of their seats. They head to the living room and sit beside each other. They are getting ready to watch the Detroit Lions take on the Dallas Cowboys on TV.

Bob engages in conversation with his grandpa, Tom. 

“Another year is almost over. Can you believe it, grandpa. Christmas is only 4 weeks away.”

“Yes, it is, Bob. I can hardly believe it.”, replies Grandpa Tom.

“I have to ask you something, Grandpa”, inquires Bob.

“What was the best present you’ve ever gotten at Christmastime?”

Grandpa Tom replies: “Goodness, let’s see. Oh yes, now I remember. It was in 1942 when I was 5 years old.”

“What was it, Grandpa?”, asks Bob.

“I got a red colored toy fire engine, with a banner that read, ‘1942 Fire Engine of the Year’ banner painted on it’s side. I remember that it was a unique product that was only available that year. Boy, just thinking about it makes my eyes light up!”

“Do you still have it?”, asks Bob.

Grandpa Tom replies: “Heck, no! One day, it accidently got thrown in the garbage by my mother!”

“I bet you were heartbroken, eh Grandpa Tom?”, replies Bob.

“I wish I still had it. In fact, I would be over the moon if I would ever get it again.”, reflects Grandpa Tom.

“Well, Grandpa Tom, you never know. Santa Claus may bring it to you this year!”, replies Bob, sarcastically.

“Grandpa Tom concludes: “Well, Christmas is the season of hope. You never can tell.”

The game is watched in it’s entirety by the whole family. The Dallas Cowboys fans in the family are happy to see their Cowboys won by a score of 33 to 27. 

All the family members greet each other before they head out to their respective homes. Bob knows now what to get his grandpa for Christmas.

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Bob gets home. He sits in the corner of his sofa in the living room. He picks up the computer pad that is resting on his coffee table. He boots it up. The purpose of using his computer pad is to search the E-Bay site for the toy truck his grandpa covets.

When he gets to the E=Bay site, he types in the words, “1942 Fire Engine of the Year toy fire truck in red color.”

Bob sits back in his sofa being confident that it may cost, at most, $ 500 to purchase off this site. Finally, after a minute, the item appears on his pad screen.

Bob is shocked. He way under-estimated the cost of this item. His eyes popped out of his head when he saw the price of it. If he is to bid on it, it would set him back $ 10,000. Bob realizes that he does not have that kind of money to spend on his grandfather’s Christmas present. He is disappointed, but not totally discouraged. He has to figure out a way to get that particular item but with a cost that is far less than $ 10,000.

On the coffee table, is a book he borrowed from the local library. He suddenly comes up with a bright idea. He realizes that the library has a 3-D printer. That would be the best way to get his grandfather his cherished Christmas present. He could have it replicated with a 3-D printer. It would be as authentic as possible without it being the genuine product.

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The next day, Bob visits the nearest bank with an ATM. He withdraws $ 300. This is the cost of doing a 3-D model from the library’s printer. He wastes no time driving to the library to have a replica toy firetruck printed from the 3-D printer at the library.

Bob hands the clerk his fee and gives her the USB device that contains the drawing to insert into the printer. The clerk informs him that the 3-D model will be ready in a week’s time. Bob is elated. He will have a present his grandfather relishes without breaking the bank, like he would have had to if he bought it from E-Bay.

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A week later, Bob gets an e-mail from the library that his model is ready to be picked up. He leaves for the library with great anticipation. He hopes that there are no flaws with the finished product. 

When he arrives at the library, he goes to the department where the replica is ready to pick up. The clerk passes it to him when he tells her what he’s there to pick up. He carefully examines it. It has no flaws. He thanks the clerk for her help and leaves the library to go home.

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Bob arrives home. He goes to the kitchen with the replica in a bag in his right hand. He takes it out of the bag, and places it on the kitchen table. He walks around the table meticulously examining the item in a 360-degree perspective. It is perfect! Not a flaw on it whatsoever. This is the first of many Christmas presents Bob will wrap. He will wrap other presents, but this is the most valuable one from an emotional aspect.

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Christmas Day has arrived. The gift giving exchange takes place amongst family members. It is Bob’s turn to give his grandpa, Tom, his present.

“Grandpa, this is an unexpected gift you will get from me. I think you will find it to be meaningful, also.”

Grandpa Tom accepts the gift from Bob. Then he opens it. He carefully takes it out of the box it is wrapped in. 

“Wow!”, was the first word Grandpa Tom said. A tear ran down his eye.

“Bob, this is the best Christmas present I’ve received in 80 years.” I feel like a little boy again!”

He hugs Bob, and says: “Thanks, Bob. I can’t thank you enough.”

Grandpa Tom walks over to the fireplace mantle and places his cherished gift on it.

He stands back and observes it. He is spiritually uplifted with this most treasured gift he received on this most special day of the year.

Grandpa Tom contemplates further about the gift. He remembers, although not fondly, how these were tough times because of the Second World War that was happening. He had a special friend who was a fire fighter that was a soldier in the war. He remembers that that friend never came home. Grandpa Tom knows he is truly blessed to be alive to experience this extraordinarily special moment.