Not get what you want?
That Bejeweled Pink iPad case not quite the gift you were looking for? Taking time to listen is a great gift we can give to one another, and our wonderful employees are here all week to soothe your post holiday giftee angst. Feel free to spend that money grandma gave you on a Little Black Book for your iPhone 4 or an artisan quality Kindle Keeper to make those winter reads complete.
I spent the bulk of the day yesterday closing out the Pad and Quill books. Don’t worry, we aren’t closing down shop for the week, you can still buy that gorgeous book bindery case you want for your iPad and MacBook Air. However, this weekend there are football games to watch, 10K’s to run and dark, murky holes in the ice to jump through. Not to mention our trusty employee Karl is gigging with his ELO cover band at Lee’s Liquor on New Year’s Eve. Thanks to our customers, there are a lot of books to close, so I’ve been busy. By afternoon, the Quills were feeling an antsy need to burn off some of that Holiday sugar, so the middles set off for the mall and the Little went with me to the gym. 90 minutes of spinning and shooting hoops works up an appetite, so off to Chipotle. About two thirds of the way through his burrito the Little looked at me and queried, “Mom, exactly how much have you told me about puberty? What are you leaving out?” Well, I didn’t quite see that one coming. Kind of like that bright pink cotton/poly Sue Sylvester jump suit that was waiting under tree. I suggested we continue this conversation in the car rather than holding it in conjunction with the couple at the adjoining table who had just leaned considerably closer. Seriously, we could have shared Uncle Paul’s, I didn’t have time to shop so I ran into Walgreens and grabbed the first thing I saw, Snuggy. I didn’t know they made those in day-glo orange. Enroute to the car the puberty conversation continued. “I hear that the girl you don’t like is the one you fall in love with, actually.” As a parent I cringe at the “I hear” comment, not necessarily confident as to the origin of his information. Perhaps about as confident as you are that the faux leather iPad case you received from Uncle Louie will survive in a New England mist, the streets can be mean and are certainly no place to buy a bookbindery case. However, I laughed inwardly as to how this tidbit had convoluted in his mind. I unraveled this mystery for him by explaining that fifth grade boys don’t always know how to express how they feel about a girl, it makes them awkward, so they might respond by pulling on her braid, or flicking something at her to get her attention, but there are better ways to let someone know how you feel. “Like texting from your iPhone.” Or knowing what they like, then sharing part of your lunch with them. He looked slightly less perplexed as he relaxed into the front seat. The TALK, was over for now and I was grateful for this time I had to listen.
-Mrs PQ
