December 26th 2020
Christmas was different this year than it has been in the past. Growing up, mom and dad were never too big on the holiday.
Mom was always intent on making everyone as miserable as she was when we found ourselves spending time with her instead of our grandmother.
Michelle and I found our own ways to celebrate and take back a little joy from something we never had growing up.
It makes me nostalgic for my grandmother's traditions. We haven’t been to a communion since she passed away.
I can’t figure Craig out. He wanted me to come over to his apartment early Christmas morning to get my present, even though he was supposed to be coming to Mickey’s later, and he knew I was staying the night with her. We always spent Christmas Eve together, no matter what the circumstances were.
The gift he gave me really was too much.
A beautiful and expensive handgun that I had seen when I went with him to a gun and knife show months ago.
Guns weren’t really my thing, but I tried to put effort into liking them so we’d have something in common.
I didn’t hate them, and I wasn’t against them.
I even owned one, but I just wasn’t such a fanatic about them like he was.
I accidentally left it at his apartment while we went visiting with his family and Michelle that day.
I was worried for a while that he wasn’t having a good time; he’s usually more sociable with my sister.
We spent the morning at her place, Riley stayed in her guest room, and then went to his parents’ after lunch.
I thought for a brief moment that it was going to be a nice and relaxing day, until after dinner, he reminded me I needed to go back to his apartment to get my present.
With the snow and how cold it was, he told me to wait in the car, that he would run in and get it really quick, so I wouldn’t have to get out of the warmth from the vehicle.
He was gone long enough that I had started to get worried and was about to go check on him.
When he finally exited his building, he didn’t just have the case in his hand.
He carried a bulky towel, wrapped up in a bundle like a baby.
I rolled down my window to accept the case and questioned why he was handing me the towel.
He told me all the pieces to my gun were wrapped up inside and that he wasn’t always going to be at the range to help me if my gun jammed.
The deal was, if I wanted to keep the gun, I had to figure out how to put it back together without his help.
I spent all night trying to work on it. Countless YouTube videos and cuts on my fingers from the sharp edges of the metal happened before I finally figured it out.
All he texted me this morning was if he needed to come back and get it, or if I had done as he asked.
Crying from lack of sleep and confusion from the strings attached with my gift, I sent him a text telling him I was able to figure it out, and thanked him yet again for it.
After putting it back together, I put it away in my closet, never wanting to look at it again after how much blood and tears that had been shed over the worst gift I had ever received.