A Perfect Gift For You

The engine of her hand-me-down SUV went silent as she cranked the ignition to the off position and removed the key with a deep sigh.  The holiday season had vomited all over the shopping mall parking lot so she knew the inside would be twice as bad.  

Elbowing the door open, she slid out into the chill, afternoon air, tugging her coat tight around her.  She cursed the cold along with the squeaky car door she had to slam three times before it latched and scurried inside the building.

Jingle Bell Rock and the smell of Cinnabon assaulted her senses as well as an unending wave of consumer bodies looking for deals and just the right gift for that special someone...and she fit right in.  Slightly harried, totally irritated, trying to feel that holiday spirit and failing, all she needed was an overpriced coffee in her hand.

Fishing through her bag past gum wrappers and old receipts she pulled out her cell phone, the corner of her mouth inching into a crooked smile at the silly photo of her sweetheart and their dog on the lock screen.  Not wanting to waste too much time, she brought up a voicemail and listened intently while a torrent of shoppers flowed around her like a laughing, chaotic river.

“Hey, Dear. It’s me.  I got off work early so I’m going to make you dinner tonight.  How does grilled cheese and tomato soup sound?  Nah, I’m just joking.  Let’s go out?  We haven’t been out in a while...wherever you wanna go.  Think about it and I’ll see you at home.  Love you.  ...Oh, can you grab dog food on your way home?  I took the bike to work and I’m not going to be able to cart that home.  Ok, see you soon.  Bye.”

Her heart warmed at the sound of his sweet voice, always so thoughtful.  She would absolutely brave the madness of the holiday rush to find him the perfect gift but he was just so hard to buy for.  

Every store she entered seemed to have a whole lot of the same and nothing that was good enough for him.  Holiday sweaters, wallets, beard grooming kits, silly pajamas, it was ridiculous.  After  over an hour she was ready to throw in the towel, the frustration ran through her and she wanted to scream when suddenly, something truly unique finally caught her eye.

On a shelf, tucked into the far corner of a store that smelled like nag-champa and patchouli, nearly hidden by tapestries and dragon shaped incense burners, sat an intricate wooden motorcycle no bigger than a can of soda. 

Light, medium and dark wood all married together beautifully with a shine so deep, it seemed to glow from within.  The words “Harley Davidson” were beautifully hand painted on the tiny gas tank.  Her soul smiled as she carefully lifted it from its resting place, the wood strangely warm on her fingertips.

Everything functioned from the handlebars, to the shocks and the brake and clutch levers, even the little wheels actually turned.  

This.

This was perfect. 

Clutching it to her chest she all but ran to the cashier and gingerly set the wooden motorcycle on the counter.  They exchanged pleasantries, blah-blah-blah, take the money, Happy Holidays, and she was out of the shop leaving behind the smell of incense and weaving through the river of shoppers like an otter through the currents.  Strollers, loose children screaming for gum balls and toys, teenagers giggling, frazzled parents groaning to each other about spending too much money, she dodged them all and slipped out of the mall doors and back into the bone chilling cold.  

She hustled back to the old SUV, cursing again at the door that now refused her entrance.  After a solid whack, it popped open and she slid back inside, cranking the car back to life and blasting the heater.  Twisting around, she set the gift in a small box on the floor of the back seat then with a deep breath, she put the SUV in gear and gratefully rumbled away from the madness that was The Mall.

The sun was making its way down toward the western horizon, it set so early in December and her stomach clenched a bit at the thought of being late.  That just wasn’t an option though and she knew if she got lucky and somehow missed the afternoon holiday traffic she could make it before dark.

Just as the sun painted the sky with its last rays she pulled off the boulevard and onto a tiny, single lane driveway that wound through dips and hills, the SUV rumbling and rattling along as if it were complaining about the cold as much as she did.

Finally, she let the poor thing roll to a stop.  The motor shut off with a grumble and she slid back out into the cold, cursing at it and the door that wouldn’t close.  Pulling her coat tight around her once more, she opened the back door and carefully lifted out the perfect gift along with a bouquet of winter flowers. 

Bumping the door closed with her hip, she carefully made her way over the perfectly manicured  lawn, frosty grass crunching under her feet.  With every step, her heart beat faster and she found herself mumbling as she knelt down next to the grave of her sweetheart. 

“Well, I didn’t make it out to dinner, but I did find this.”

She gingerly placed the wooden motorcycle next to a sun bleached pair of riding gloves and a helmet.  The flowers followed, but these she laid on top of the headstone.  

Sitting down cross legged on the frosty ground, she pulled a cold grilled cheese sandwich and a thermos of warm tomato soup out of her bag.  Her jacket…his jacket, three sizes too big, fell open and she pulled it closed around her once more.  Tonight they would dine on nothing but the finest comfort food around.

Swallowing a lump in her throat and wiping tears from her eyes, she smiled at his name etched in stone and played his voicemail again.