HM And The Case Of The Vanishing Gift

Yesterday, The Veteran gave the boys their Christmas presents. The Pony was ecstatic. He could not have received a better gift. It was an Indiana Jones hat, with a whip that plays the Indy theme when it is 'cracked'. That boy whipped his brother most of the night. First thing this morning, he put on his fedora. We had to take #1 to the dentist for a check-up and fluoride treatment that he missed due to basketball practice, and then we planned on going to lunch with my mom, aunt, and grandma. I had to tell The Pony that he could wear his Indy fedora in T-Hoe, but not in the other places. He was not happy, but he pretended that he knew he couldn't wear it there. On the way home, as we stopped by the mailbox, the boys wanted to throw rocks on the creek ice. It was only 15 degrees. I told them they just had a few minutes. The Pony wore his fedora. I saw him try to put his hood up, but it wouldn't fit. Did he bring the fedora back to T-Hoe? No. He left it on. I'm surprised he doesn't sleep in it. I'm waiting for the day when #1 tells Pony, "If you love that hat so much, why don't you MARRY IT?"

Speaking of #1, he called me from The Devil's Playground a few minutes ago, asking about a gift for Pony. "Mom. He's told me two computer games and a DS game. And those are the ones you already told me you got for him. How about this: a PC game called 'Jack the Ripper'?" Um...NO! How to explain. "No, do NOT get that for him." #1 would not be swayed. "Why? It's rated E for everyone. It just says 'alcohol references' and 'mild violence'. Why can't he have it?" I spoke slowly. "Jack the Ripper disemboweled prostitutes. I do not want The Pony playing that game, no matter what it is rated. Do you understand?" #1 said, "OK. How about 'Sherlock Holmes'?" I agreed. I hope it's not a case about Jack the Ripper.

#1 received a $25 iTunes card from The Veteran. At least that's what he told me. The card was nowhere to be found. This morning, #1 commanded me to find it. He said it was about the size of an index card, only bright orange. Being a bit of a Sherlock Holmes myself, I asked him where he had it last. Here is his story: "I carried it in from the car with your gift. I had it in my right hand when we were down in your office. I set it on Pony's desk to watch you open that gift. Then I took your wrapping paper upstairs to the wastebasket. I had the iTunes card in my hand. Then I went to my room. I can't find it anywhere."

When I was good and ready, I looked downstairs on The Pony's desk, and under it, and around my desk, and by #1's desk, and by his Guitar-Hero-playing area on the couch, and in his room around the iTunes card from his girlfriend, but not in the notes he had stashed there, and in the kitchen, and in the pantry and refrigerator (the boy IS an absent-minded professor), and in the couch cushions, and in the bathroom, and I even took all the trash out of the wastebasket. No iTunes card. We called HH at work to look in the van. #1 looked outside. He searched his pants pockets and coat pockets and under his bed. No iTunes card. We made about three searches apiece throughout the day. When HH got home, I went back downstairs. I thought about how I would act if I was #1. I knew he played Guitar Hero last night, even though he denied it. I looked again around the table and couch. Nope. I looked around the Wii games. I saw something on the floor behind the blue bean bag chair and the TV, down by the wall of the stairs. Something that looked like a piece of white cardboard with instructions from the back of a box. I picked a dust bunny off of it, removed a couple wires that laid on top of it, and turned it over. It was an orange $25 iTunes card. It must have fallen off the top of the TV when he turned on the Wii.

You're welcome.