Back when Cody was little, I worked the evening shift. Not that that's important. I just thought I'd throw it out there.
Anyway, money was kind of tight back then, so when I'd make my weekly resupply run to Wal-mart, about half way through the trip, I'd start putting things back.
"We don't really need this." And back onto the shelf it would go.
"We've got enough of this to last a little longer." And back onto the shelf it would go.
"This is too expensive." And back onto...well, you get the idea.
Along about the time Cody was three, in their toy department, Wal-mart got this box of bugs. That's what they called it, A Box Of Bugs. It had about 20 or 30 plastic bugs of all different types.
Very realistic looking bugs, too.
Oddly enough, not long after he got it, the two spiders mysteriously disappeared. I don't know what happened to those things. I don't. Really, I don't.
I'm pleading the 5th.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Back to my story...
Cody wanted that box of bugs, but I just didn't think I could swing it. Like I said, money was real tight. He was good about it, though. Never whined or pitched a fit. But I knew he wanted that box of bugs.
Spring came along, and with it, the overtime started up again. My very first overtime check that year, I decided I was going to buy that boy that box of bugs. I knew how badly he wanted it, and I had a little money to spare. Not much, but enough. So we went and got that box of bugs.
Cody was thrilled. He was sitting in the little front seat of the buggy, because he was still small enough to sit in the little front seat of the buggy back then, so excited that he finally was getting that box of bugs. About half way through our shopping trip, Cody suddenly said, "We have to put this back."
"Why?" I asked. "I thought you wanted that box of bugs."
"I do want it," Cody said, "But we have to put it back."
"Why do we have to put it back?" I asked.
And my little man shook his head sadly and answered,
"It's too expensive."
You know, the federal government could learn a few lessons from that boy of mine.
2 comments:
That is a sweet story and a sweet boy. Jesse did something like that once. It did teach her to be a bit tighter with her money.
Thanks, Lou.
Cody used to worry about money TOO much sometimes-- even when he was only 6 or 7 years old. I had to tell him that it was my job to worry about money, and his job to be a kid.
Sometimes I hate that he had to grow up so fast, but I'm very proud of the man he has become.
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