This evening I was wrapping Christmas presents, some of the rolls purchased when I still had two kids. In my gift wrapping bin there is a roll of ribbon with the name "T I M M Y" printed on it, in the handwriting of my former spouse. This was to help Timmy write his name on the gift tags for his mama. He gave me a pair of slippers that year, which I still have. I was told Timmy walked into the store and headed straight to the shoe department to get his mama a pair of slippers. I was also told that it never occurred to his father or Justin to check the size, because THAT was the pair Timmy wanted. Fortunately, he chose correctly. After he died, I put the slippers away for safe keeping.
I was thinking of Timmy today when I had to use the bathroom at Publix. Every time I use the bathroom at Publix I think of him!! He just HAD to go, so I parked the cart to the side and took him in. Every time something plunked into the potty, he'd lean forward to see it, and whoosh!---the toilet would flush and freak him out. After a couple times of this ritual, I decided we needed to go home for this 'job', so we paid for what we bought and headed home. (I know I've told this story before---indulge me)
When he and I were at Publix that day, though, we did buy the green plastic cutlery which he really took a liking to. In fact, he carried around a plastic knife for days after our company Christmas party. When it was time for us to go shopping for his father, he took his knife along to SteinMart in order to match a shirt to that knife. The clerk was so kind to him, as Justin and I stood back to watch them look for the right shirt. Eventually they did find a close enough match. After Timmy died, his father put that shirt away for safe keeping....and I have the knife in his memory box.
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As I wrapped I also thought of a time many, many moons ago when I was still working at Shady Lane Home. I had been feeling poorly and stayed home from work, but felt good enough that evening to wrap presents. My former spouse and I used one of our extra rooms for wrapping purposes, a card table set up upon which to do our work. Somehow we got on the subject of money and I mentioned how I didn't have any money in my wallet. He said to me, "Oh, if I don't have at least $5 in my wallet, I don't feel good..." Then we had a big laugh because, in fact, I did not feel good!!
Somehow that episode has stayed with me all these years and I even say that to Justin now and again. Of course, it's different these days with the more common use of debit/credit cards, but in those days, it was primarily cash on the barrel for smaller purchases. So, anyway, besides wrapping up my presents for Justin tonight, I wrapped up some memories, too.
