Good Enough(61)
“That’s more than enough for her. Seriously I don’t want to give her any more. Her attitude was disrespectful. Can you imagine her doing that to couples our parent’s age? It’s disgusting.” Lily states. “Let’s go. Seriously don’t put out any more money for her.”
Lily is getting fired up. The three of us are glaring at each other trying to telepathically tell each other to just go with it before her head explodes. As Lily stomps her way out of the Olive Garden we pass Candy walking back to the table. I silently give her an apology for the shitty tip but at the same time I feel like telling her “ya get what ya give.” You gave us shitty service, you get a shitty tip. Take the life lesson and learn from it.
I hope we have better luck at the mall.
JAMESON AND BEVAN ARE CURSING under their breath the craziness of the mall. I don’t know what they expected, it’s Christmas time. I don’t mind it as long as if you bump in to me you apologize. If you don’t I’m going call you an asshole. Manners can go a long way.
Lily and I have shopping for the guys to do and vice versa. We agree to go our separate ways and tell the guys we’ll meet back in an hour downstairs by the main escalator. They didn’t even give us a kiss good bye. No handshake, no high five, nothing. They just took off like a couple of adolescent kids at a Chuck-E-Cheese.
Our plan of action was to start with smaller gifts then hope Bevan can pull through for me on Jameson’s main gift. Lily and I went to Dick’s Sporting Goods first because we knew we could get the guys some skiing stuff. They like to do that once in a while. I found Jameson a great pair of North Face insulated gloves and hat and new goggles to go with it. Lily got Bevan a very expensive Burton’s Ripcord snowboard. I don’t know much about the sport, but when it comes to snow I just want to hop on a snowmobile. My parents didn’t take us out ice skating or skiing, but my dad took my brother and I ice fishing.
Forty-five minutes in to our shopping excursion Lily’s cell phone starts ringing. The conversation is quick. All I hear her say is “we’ll be right there.” She hangs up, grabs my hand and starts pulling me towards the escalator. “Come on. That was Bevan. He and Jameson are in Wilson’s Leather. Jameson has been trying on jackets. Said he always wanted one.”
Bingo!
As we are walking towards Wilson’s we spot Bevan and Jameson walking out. They see us and start walking towards us.
“Hey guys. What were you checking out in Wilson’s?” Lily asks.
“Nothing really. We were just looking around.” Jameson says.
“Actually I think I might go back and get that wallet I saw. Mine is really falling apart. Hillary, didn’t you say you wanted to get your dad a new wallet?” Bevan says, gesturing his head towards the store.
“Perfect!” Lily shouts. “Jameson you can come with me then to Sears because my dad was talking about some tool that he needed for the garage and I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about. You two meets us back in Sears when you’re done.” Lily says as she pulls Jameson the away from us.
Bevan is moving in stealth mode through Wilson’s and I am right behind him every step. He stops at a rack in the back corner of the store and, pulls a jacket from the rack to hand it to me. “This is the one.” It was a hot looking jacket. I wish I had seen Jameson in it. It was genuine leather, zip out thinsulate lining for those extra chilly days, and a notch collar. It was perfect. The only problem was there was no way I could get it today.
As I’m walking up to the counter I pass by a woman’s jacket which catches my eye. “Wow! This is a really nice jacket. It’s so soft. I get the attraction people have to these.” I say.
“Try it on.” Bevan tells me.
I flip through the rack to find a large or an extra-large to accommodate my healthy bosom. I find one, slip my arms through and I melt. I love it.
“It looks good, Hil. You should buy both of them.”
I look at the price tag and can practically feel my eyes bulge out of my head. “It’s three hundred dollars! No way dude.” I tell him.
I put it back on the rack and head back to the counter with the jacket for Jameson and explain my predicament to the sales associate. He told me he could only hold the jacket for Jameson for twenty-four hours.
“What if I purchase it or put down a deposit? Can you hold it for me until Tuesday night? That’s only three days and the earliest I can come back.” I plead with him.
He agrees to hold it for me until Tuesday night but I have to pay for it in full. I don’t have to think twice about it. While I’m making my payment Bevan keeps an eye on the front of the store to make sure Lily and Jameson don’t come back. As the sales associate hands my paperwork to me a thought comes to mind.