Christmas Is Sometimes A Game Of Inches

We were at a large mall in Tulsa today doing our last minute shopping. I was about the business of one final gift for Maverick. This was the "big" one. After the purchase and getting it covered with a blanket and loaded in the back of the Element I caught up with Debbie and Maverick somewhere in the mall.

We picked up some other gifts and window shopped since we don't get the the mall very often. Maverick just had to stop off at the local electronic game store. He was looking for a particular game for his Play Station Portable (PSP) which he got for his birthday (along with 8 games) just two weeks ago. This game was something he called "Ratchet." He found it in the resale section and was begging for it. It was a $15 game. I stood my ground that we did not need to get that game and we left the store.

Soon the bargaining began"
"Grandpa, I gotta have that game!"

"Maverick, I just got you a big gift and it is in the car. I'll make you a deal. I'll get you that game but I will have to return the gift in the car. So, the PSP game today or the big gift on Christmas." (I admit, I was having visions of a savings on this deal.)

"Can I see the package in the car?", he asked. "Nope.", I replied.

He thought about it for a short time. "The game."

"Alrighty. I guess we can..."

About that time Debbie joined us and found out about our bargaining. She put and end to the deal immediately. Next I knew she was on the cell phone talking to Santa and putting in a last minute request for a PSP game.

As Maxwell Smart used to say, "Missed it by that much!"