They said a quick grace and
doled out the sides, Tim taking his usual portions of cole slaw and mashed
potatoes and a jalapeno ranch dipping sauce for his strips. While his Mom and
Granny started discussing ‘family business,’ which was largely gossip about
what his numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins were up to, the boy mechanically
chewed his way through the meal, taking seconds as a matter of course, just
staring up at the ceramic frog in a chef’s hat on top of the fridge clutching
it’s wooden fork and spoon that (as far as he knew) never got used for cooking.
Conversation was winding
down and there were signs that they would be leaving soon when Tim buckled
down, took a final gulp of Big Red, cleared his throat, and asked, rather
nonchalantly, “Granny, have you decided what you’re getting me for my birthday?”
Her eyes grew wide with
surprise and she smiled.
“Why, kiddo, that’s five
months away! You must have something big in mind to be asking about it so soon.”
Mom looked scandalized.
“Now, Timmy! Don’t go
begging something big and expensive from your poor old Granny! You got to
remember she’s not that rich, and she has twenty other grandkids to
provide for!”
“Well, it is pretty big,”
Timmy conceded. “But it wouldn’t cost her a dime, really.” His voice went up a little;
it was serious, but now there was a bit of beg in it. “Granny, would you give
me Uncle Sam-Sam’s books?”
Mom’s scandal turned to
shock at the enormity of the request.
“Timmy! Granny has plans for
them! She was going to sell all those books. You think this won’t cost her
anything?”
Granny looked thoughtful.
She touched Mom’s arm.
“Now, now, Patty, it was
never about making money, it was about saving expenses. I suppose I could make
something if I offered them for sale on eBay or something, but frankly, I don’t
want to take the trouble.”
Mom groaned.
“No, you’ll just pass it on
to me, if he has his way. You know it’s me that will have to make room for all
that crap now, if he gets his wish!”
Granny grinned.
“But it will solve my
problem.” She looked at Timmy. “And now that I think of it, I seem to remember
it always Sammy’s wish that his books would go to some nephew or niece who
really wanted them. So I’d really be fulfilling two obligations with one stone.”
“But, Timmy, I don’t think
you know what you’re really asking!” Mom fretted. She turned to Granny. “I
remember when Kate just had to have a baby calf, nothing else would do, and Pop
had to get her one. You know that didn’t end well. I just think this
might be more than Timmy can handle.”
“Well, it won’t end in
hamburgers anyway.” Granny laughed and bent over the table and looked Timmy in
the eye. “Okay, it’s all yours on one condition. There’s no way you can
possibly want every single volume. Choose what you want and if you sell the
rest, I get half, okay?”
Mom unbent a little. It
seemed this was going to happen.
“And it’s got to gone
through in one month, you hear?” She looked grim. “I’m not having all that
laying around my house for the next twenty years. Anything still packed
up, out it goes.”
“By then I’ll be having my
next garage sale,” Granny agreed. “Well.” She stood up. “You just take the bins
in your car on home now, then. I’ll be over with the truck tomorrow to dump off
the rest. And … Happy Birthday, kid.”
Timmy smiled hugely. It
seemed the grown-up negotiations were over, and he had won. He squirmed in his
chair.
“Thank you, Granny. This
will be my best birthday gift ever.”
“Yeah, swell,” Mom grumped.
She stood up. “Well, we’d better be getting home and tell your Dad the good
news. There’s room to be made and plans to be laid.”
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