Birthdays, Joy and the Pet Rock

By Genae Girard

Yesterday I set out to complete my yearly hunt for a birthday present for my nephew. He was turning six, the age where a boy will fashion anything into a potential weapon and imprison bugs from the backyard in small containers. I decided Target would be my birthday hunting ground for toys and nick knacks.

As I departed from my car into the 102 heat wave, I realized that if I didn’t hurry and enter the store, I could potentially become a melted grease spot on the stovetop like black parking lot. 

 As I entered the store I made a b-line right-angled turn for my usual, Starbucks ice coffee. Starbucks ice coffee is jet fuel. The first sip smacks you in the face as your body quivers from the bitter voltage. The girl behind the counter asked me what size I wanted. Knowing that I was about to cross the threshold into toy aisle torture, I told her, “You better make it a Venti.”

 The toy aisle is a branded plethora of tiny branded billboards where Raggedy Ann and Lincoln Logs have been replaced by Transformers, Iron Man and a science kit where you can mold intestines and proceed to eat them afterwards. Walking up and down the aisle, I was unaware that Lego is conceiving a plot to take over the world. There where three isles dedicated to their block building products and the most affordable kit was $24.99.  

 My stomach began to feel queasy. The Venti coffee and the fact I was walking around and around the toy aisle like a bad carnival Ferris wheel was beginning to take effect. Everything looked the same. My stomach issues increased as I dodged children with sticky lollipops and germy hands. I finally zeroed in on a remote control Monster truck and a video game for his Xbox and exited the building swiftly.  

 I returned home to prepare to go to my brother’s house for my nephew’s birthday.  Being a prankster I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be funny to give a faux present to my nephew and hide the real ones in my car. I like to call my nephew Little Lord Fauntleroy because he commands so many toys already. This prank could really confuse him and bring the adults great joy. I thought about an old dirty sock until my good friend suggested painting a face on a rock and passing off as a “Pet Rock.”

 This became the covert plan. We watched as my nephew opened other gifts from the family and then made a move to the bag containing the wrapped earthy artifact. I had warned my sister in law that I was playing the prank and she said, “I hope he doesn’t cry.” As he gingerly unwrapped the gift, the face painted rock fell to the tablecloth and he immediately grabbed and a huge smile erupted from his face. He held it up and laughed and stated loudly, “We have a new member of the family!” You never know when great joy will arrive, but when it does, receive it and revel in it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Genae Girard is a speaker, author and entrepreneur. She is the founder of www.BeyondtheBoobieTrap.com, an online social media tribe of over 22,000 breast cancer survivors and regularly speaks on the topics of women in leadership and building a tribe. She is also the author of “Off the Rack: Chronicles of a Thirty-Something, Single, Breast Cancer Survivor.” For inquiries email: info@BeyondtheBoobieTrap.com