The Present

My best friend, Tina, had everything she could ever want, so getting her a fiftieth birthday present was not going to be easy. But I had a plan.

I got the idea when I went to the jewelry store to get my watch battery changed. They had these beautiful bracelets. Silver beads of different sizes and widths with intricate designs and colorful marbled stone beads interspersed among them. I had one made with only purple stones as that was her favorite color. Now, the difficult part.

I made a list. Actually, two. What I needed and where I had been. I'm glad I started three months early as I needed every day. In the end, my tattered list was evidence of the crazy undertaking.

* * *

With the present wrapped and stuffed in a gift bag full of dark chocolate and a birthday card, we met at our favorite al fresco cafe, Rudy's, two days prior to the big day.

"You know, we have been friends for 36 years," I said to Tina. "A lot has gone on in those years and I hope this gift adequately covers it."

I handed her the gift bag.

"You are the best friend a girl could ask for. I can't wait to see what is in here. There better be chocolate. This five oh thing is stressing me out. Oh yes, black Toberlone and Hershey's Special Dark," said Tina as she fished the chocolate bars from the bag. She took the box, a little larger than a deck of cards, in her hands. She gave it a little shake but it did not make a sound that could be heard over the lunch crowd.

"It is like my birthday too. I'm so excited for you to see it. So open the blasted box," I said to her.

"Alright already. Pushy old broad," she said as she tore back the wrapping paper to expose a little wooden box. Inside on a bed of satin cloth was the bracelet.

Tina looked up at me with tears in eyes. "It's beautiful, Dee."

"Look at it closely," I urged her.

Tina ran her fingers along the bracelet and a smile grew on her face.

"The school house is when we first met in eighth grade," she said.

"Yes. What else do you see?" I asked.

"Oh my god. That little pickup of my brother's that we rolled and nearly killed ourselves," said Tina. She leaned back in her chair and laughed heartily.

"And scissors for when we cut each other's hair the day before school pictures. A typewriter for when we both got hired at Macmillan's and got fired the next day.

"This is great. All of our crazy memories right here. Hand cuffs!" said Tina a little too loud. She covered her mouth for a second and burst out laughing.

We spent the next two hours and two bottles of wine reminiscing as she discovered each new charm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Writer's Cramp Prompt 6/27
Word count 492

Some people already have everything.

Some people are picky, picky, picky.

Then there’s your mother/father/brother/sister/spouse –

what can you get them that’s truly, truly special?

Whomever you choose, journey forth on this search for the perfect gift.

Write a poem or story and

TITLE your piece:

The Present