I heard the ring of the doorbell, and rushed to the door. The UPS man was here! Everyone knew what that mean this time of year: presents. I signed for the box like all adults do. It was almost as big as me! What could it be? A dinosaur? Cause I could use one. I tried to pick up the box, but it didn’t budge. “That’s no dinosaur!” I shouted. I started looking for clues. This would be the best Christmas ever!
The name Douglas Adams made me fall over backwards. This can’t be right, I thought. No, how did he find us? I summoned the worst word I could remember. “Shit!” I ran back to the door, but the UPS man was gone already. Mom was gonna be home soon, and she was gonna freak out! I need to get rid of this, he’s made her cry enough.
“Baby, I’m home!” I’d just found the matches. I jumped off the stove and and bolted to the front door, screaming “Don’t look! I was gonna get rid of it!” But she was already bent over the box. “Don’t read it Mom, DON’T!” But her breath had stopped for a second anyway.
“…when did this get here?” she asked in that small voice.
“Just as second ago, Mom,” I said. “I”m sorry.”
She laughed a little, that sad laugh that I hated hearing. “What’ve you got to be sorry for, sweetie? You didn’t ask for this.”
“For not getting rid of it sooner,” I said, my eyes watering a little. I’m not gonna cry right now. I’m not ever gonna cry. But she didn’t take her eyes off of me Those same eyes that had-
Mom was soft, and my tears were hot. I closed my eyes and my tears kept flowing like lava from a volcano. I heard her voice, but couldn’t make out her words. She crouched in front of me, wiping the tears away. ”You know you don’t need to accept it, right?”
I started. “Really? Can we send it back?”
It was that smile again. “If you want, it is your gift after all.”
“No, Mom, it’s OK. I’ll keep it.”
She looked weird for a second, and laughed. “OK, Junior, you can keep it. Now go play, so I can hide this present. It’s not Christmas yet!”
I ran to my toy box and grabbed my truck, Barbie, which had been given to me forever by my friend Sharon (she’s a girl), and my Spidey and Superman action figures.
“Vroom vroom… Ah! Help me! Don’t worry, we’ll save you!” Spider-Man and Superman flew in and pulled Barbie away from the evil truck, which flipped over and exploded.
