One more Christmas story, and then I'll stop.
When we last spoke, Loraine and I were still trying to figure out who had left all the stuff at Leo Robinson's grave. And I was trying to recover from all the blood flowing out of my body after skidding along the pavement while trying to kick the world's most frozen soccer ball substitute.
All that went by the wayside when I opened my gift from my brother.
Because this was another Covid Christmas we actually didn't get together in person, instead having a little video chat while we were opening gifts. Before we did that my nephew Abel, who had received a miniature doctor's office from Santa, complete with stethoscope and other equipment, took a second to look the blood still oozing down my knee, thereby allowing me to become his first tele-health patient.
That kid has quite a future ahead of him.
Then we proceeded to gift opening. When my brother and Abel had dropped the wrapped gifts off the day before I was told not to open mine until we were all together virtually. Apparently, he wanted to see my reaction when I opened it, and I hope I didn't disappoint when I saw this--
That's right. Not only is it a painting of a cow, but it's a painting of a cow with glasses. He came across it in a store several months ago, and had to be held back from giving it to me right then and there. But I'm glad he waited. Not since my mom gave me a painting she did of me and a cow have I received such a moo-ving gift.
And I'm not apologizing for that last line at all.
The cow painting now is sitting on my office wall, next to another of my mom's paintings (this one of lilacs) and a picture of Loraine dipping her feet into a cool spring on a hot German day. So sitting on my office wall are three of my favorite things in the world—Loraine, lilacs, and a cow.
Maybe there's hope for humanity yet.
So thanks to Marc for the painting, thanks to Tiffanie for making him wait to give it to me, and thanks to the unknown artist who decided to put glasses on a cow.
It was one of the best parts of my Christmas.
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