This year for Christmas, Miss Elizabeth's gift to me was an old set of books. I had mentioned that, although I had watched it many times on television, I had never read the Lonesome Dove series by Larry McMurtry. To my surprise she was able to locate a used set of the books and made the purchase. I'm already enjoying the first book.
I've always been an avid reader, even when I was very young. I would read anything I could get my hands on, magazines, newspapers, paper backs, or comic books. It didn't really matter, I just loved getting lost in the pages and seeing the characters develop in my mind. Heck, I even enjoyed reading See Spot Run, and the other introductory reading primers back in elementary school. As I got older I read a lot of sports books, mysteries, science fiction, and of course, many of the Mark Twain classics like Huck Finn, Life on the Mississippi, and Tom Sawyer.
Today, most of my reading material comes with the push of a button or the click of a mouse. I can browse through my Kindle, and with one click, have a new book at my disposal. Technology is wonderful, but it's robbed us of the pleasure of either giving or receiving the gift of a book.
One of my oldest friends, someone I met soon after we moved to town from the country, doesn't, to this day, know the impact he had on me regarding gifts and books.
We must have been eight or nine years old, and were fast friends, Every weekend I would be at his house, or he would be at mine, having sleep-overs or just hanging out. We would hike in the woods, swipe pears from old Mrs. Brittan's tree, or lie in the sun swapping tall tales about various escapades we'd either experienced or imagined. Young lads, living life and having fun.
That year, as Christmas approached, each of us was given a dollar to buy a Christmas present for the other. His mother took us downtown to the J.J. Newberry store where we were to find the perfect gifts and give them to her for wrapping. We split up and began our search. I spent my time in the toy section and found what I thought was something he would enjoy. He was lost elsewhere in the store, but delivered his selection to his mother as well.
Later, when we tore off the wrappings to unveil the gifts, we were both excited to see what the other had bought. Expecting a toy of some type, I was speechless when I saw a brand new book. I still remember it....Treasure Island. It was the first real book I'd ever received, and I was in awe that my friend had given it to me.
I also felt very small.....My gift paled in comparison, a toy versus a book!
He seemed to be thrilled with his new toy, but I felt as though I had failed to deliver anything of substance. I know it's supposed to be the thought that counts, but I've always felt a little guilty about the inequality of those gifts.....I still remember his gift to me like it was yesterday.
A dollar well spent my friend.
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