key again, and the dragon
rumbled to life.
“I’d like any old thing you can find me,” Aunt Shannon announced as she
backed out of the driveway. She leaned forward in her seat as she drove, so she
could see over the dashboard. “It’s been years since I’ve been Christmas
shopping.” She glanced quickly at Steve. “Edward and I don’t usually buy one
another anything. Do you know what old ladies like?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, you can buy almost anything that’s chocolate, but I’m sure you know
that. You can buy perfume and lipstick and that sort of thing. These are the
sorts of items men like to think women want. But they’re really last resorts.”
She glanced at him quickly. “If you see something that you think I’d like, and
it’s not one of those things, get that.”
“What about Uncle Edward?” Steve asked.
“Books, books, books,” she replied quickly.
“But I don’t know what he’s read,” Steve replied.
“It doesn’t seem to matter.”
“I don’t know what he likes.”
“He reads anything on any topic.”
“Wow. That’s easy.”
“Yes. But I wish he’d put those books of his down.”
“Does he like candy?”
“Yes. But he’s fussy. The only candy I know he likes are those jellied
candies shaped like fruits, like lemons and limes.”
“That’s what I’ll try to buy him. Sounds like candy might be better for him
than another book.”
“Good thinking.”
They circled the parking lot for quite a while before they could find a
spot. Actually, there were two smaller spots, but the Monaco likely wouldn’t
have fit. Aunt Shannon waited for several minutes until a huge pickup truck
backed out of its spot, leaving enough room for the white beast. They hurried
through the cold parking lot to the mall, but just as they stepped through the doors,
she stopped. “Here’s some money,” she said, holding out three twenty-dollar
bills.
“Ah.” Steve felt awkward. “I can get some of my own money, Aunt Shannon. I
have enough in my bank account. And I have my bank card with me.”
“Take this, just in case,” she insisted, holding the money to his nose.
“OK,” Steve sighed, secretly relieved.
“Meet you back here in two hours.” The two of them plunged into the
Christmas mob and disappeared in the currents.
Steve found the fruit-shaped candies for Edward right away. An easy score.
Aunt Shannon would be more difficult, though, because, for some reason he
wanted to find her something special, something that would surprise her. So he
spent most of his time browsing the shops, row after row of doodads and
geewgaws. Sale this, and percentage off that. One free with purchase. He was
about to settle for a season of Gilligan’s Island episodes on DVD, when he found an odd little square case in a suitcase shop. It
looked about the same size as the box that contained Richard’s ashes. It was
multi-colored, which he knew she’d like. It was extremely square and looked
like a purse. It seemed like leather, and had been reduced from $79.99, to
$39.99 to $17.49, and sat on a table marked “All items $9.99.” Perfect, he
thought. He took it to the till and paid for it.
He felt surprisingly good and decided to shop for more. Next he bought a
little chocolate for Aunt Shannon and a massive photographic book on the
Beatles for Uncle Edward—all on sale. Then he went to the bank and tried to
withdraw some money. The words “Insufficient Funds” blinked on the computer
screen, canceling his transaction automatically.
“Stupid bank,” he said to the machine.
He wandered through the mall for the last half hour before closing, buying
himself a small drink in the food court and sipping it until it was time to
meet up with Aunt Shannon. He wandered to the meeting point just outside the
mall entrance and waited until she emerged from the crowd, dazed and laden with
bags. Though she looked directly at him, she didn’t seem to recognize him. He
sidled up beside her and
rumbled to life.
“I’d like any old thing you can find me,” Aunt Shannon announced as she
backed out of the driveway. She leaned forward in her seat as she drove, so she
could see over the dashboard. “It’s been years since I’ve been Christmas
shopping.” She glanced quickly at Steve. “Edward and I don’t usually buy one
another anything. Do you know what old ladies like?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, you can buy almost anything that’s chocolate, but I’m sure you know
that. You can buy perfume and lipstick and that sort of thing. These are the
sorts of items men like to think women want. But they’re really last resorts.”
She glanced at him quickly. “If you see something that you think I’d like, and
it’s not one of those things, get that.”
“What about Uncle Edward?” Steve asked.
“Books, books, books,” she replied quickly.
“But I don’t know what he’s read,” Steve replied.
“It doesn’t seem to matter.”
“I don’t know what he likes.”
“He reads anything on any topic.”
“Wow. That’s easy.”
“Yes. But I wish he’d put those books of his down.”
“Does he like candy?”
“Yes. But he’s fussy. The only candy I know he likes are those jellied
candies shaped like fruits, like lemons and limes.”
“That’s what I’ll try to buy him. Sounds like candy might be better for him
than another book.”
“Good thinking.”
They circled the parking lot for quite a while before they could find a
spot. Actually, there were two smaller spots, but the Monaco likely wouldn’t
have fit. Aunt Shannon waited for several minutes until a huge pickup truck
backed out of its spot, leaving enough room for the white beast. They hurried
through the cold parking lot to the mall, but just as they stepped through the doors,
she stopped. “Here’s some money,” she said, holding out three twenty-dollar
bills.
“Ah.” Steve felt awkward. “I can get some of my own money, Aunt Shannon. I
have enough in my bank account. And I have my bank card with me.”
“Take this, just in case,” she insisted, holding the money to his nose.
“OK,” Steve sighed, secretly relieved.
“Meet you back here in two hours.” The two of them plunged into the
Christmas mob and disappeared in the currents.
Steve found the fruit-shaped candies for Edward right away. An easy score.
Aunt Shannon would be more difficult, though, because, for some reason he
wanted to find her something special, something that would surprise her. So he
spent most of his time browsing the shops, row after row of doodads and
geewgaws. Sale this, and percentage off that. One free with purchase. He was
about to settle for a season of Gilligan’s Island episodes on DVD, when he found an odd little square case in a suitcase shop. It
looked about the same size as the box that contained Richard’s ashes. It was
multi-colored, which he knew she’d like. It was extremely square and looked
like a purse. It seemed like leather, and had been reduced from $79.99, to
$39.99 to $17.49, and sat on a table marked “All items $9.99.” Perfect, he
thought. He took it to the till and paid for it.
He felt surprisingly good and decided to shop for more. Next he bought a
little chocolate for Aunt Shannon and a massive photographic book on the
Beatles for Uncle Edward—all on sale. Then he went to the bank and tried to
withdraw some money. The words “Insufficient Funds” blinked on the computer
screen, canceling his transaction automatically.
“Stupid bank,” he said to the machine.
He wandered through the mall for the last half hour before closing, buying
himself a small drink in the food court and sipping it until it was time to
meet up with Aunt Shannon. He wandered to the meeting point just outside the
mall entrance and waited until she emerged from the crowd, dazed and laden with
bags. Though she looked directly at him, she didn’t seem to recognize him. He
sidled up beside her and
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