... is a heart-felt Thank You!
Last spring, I had occasion to visit the O'Neill Mansion for the baseball roto draft. Wasn't feeling too well. Earlier that day, Patrick's wife Dawna and daughter Angela were out shopping, and Angela made a particular point to get the orange soda I prefer drinking when drafting. Totally unprompted. I treasured that. The bubbly tween had thought of me and that made me feel a WHOLE lot better. I decided on the spot that she would have a very special Christmas present.
I have bought her mother spa visits on occasions over the years. Dawna appreciates them (and so do Patrick and her son AJ. She always seems happy and relaxed upon the return). I decided that this year, I would get Dawna AND Angela spa visits for their Christmas present. Happy to be done gift-shopping for two of the most important people in my life, I turned to plotting presents for others and forgot all about the spa stuff. Until December.
At that point, I sauntered down to the local spa and prepared to put down hard-won lucre to purchase the mother-and-daughter spa visit. The look on the women's face was straight out of the "I can't believe I sucked that WHOLE lemon DRY!" postcard from a cold day in hell. The mere thought of a 12-year old tromping through their precious space made her hem and haw. I got the message.
So, I started telephoning. About three passed muster in wanting tweens and moms together at one time. I didn't exactly get a good vibe off the cheapest one, but I visited the other two. One test of the cordiality of the place is for an old beaten down dude, dressed in my usual shabby attire to walk through the doors of some chi-chi place and see how he gets treated. Well, one was too high brow for the likes of me, the other was a welcoming place. I picked the latter. It was a fair bit of change, but Angela had had a good year in school, had generally behaved in a positive way most of the year (she's a teenager, not an angel). And she'd remembered me at a time I needed such a gesture.
The present exchange was great at Christmas. I went first and got my huge sack of books. I LOVE my Christmases. Patrick and AJ got theirs and then I had Dawna open her present second to last. She was as happy as I've seen her in awhile, and admitted she'd had a run-in or two with the old spa place. A change was definitely not disappointing.
I had trumpeted the fact that I had something special for Angela for about six months. She got a video and a book as part one of her gift (I give both she and AJ books yearly, turnabout fair play). Then, she opened the other part of her gift. It was a gift certificate for her first spa visit. I understand this is considered entering womanhood by some rich folk.
Angela's expression was priceless. She smiled. She said thanks. But there was that little stiffness kids have when they get something they aren't quite sure of. Dawna was excited enough for the both of them. If forced to swear on a bible, I'm sure Angela would have said, "I HOPE I like it." It was just a LITTLE bit comical.
Friday, the two ladies finally took advantage of the certificate. Dawna because she was stressed out after a month-long cold and a heavy-duty work week, Angela, because her mother was going. What would the result be?
Just after 10 pm Friday, I got the phone call. "Hi, uncle Gary. It's Angela. I just wanted to thank you for the gift certificate. It was REAL fun!" I'm sure my smile lit up the sky almost as brightly as the Northern Lights. Dawna's opinions after I finished talking with Angela were even more positive. She raved about the youthful staff's care and consideration of Angela and the total relaxing tone to the whole experience.
If the joy of giving is always like this, sign me up for a life-time spa membership.
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