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...and you can't say, in this case, the universe wasn't conspiring against me. I bested it (sort of) twice, but the third time proved too much for me. Here's the story:
Once upon a time, I had a brilliant idea for a cute Christmas present. It was going to be clever, and topical, and funny (at least, I think it was). Perhaps it would never top the time I smuggled a Lay-Z-Boy recliner into the basement (and wrapped up one of the Lay-Z-Boy raccoons as the present), or the cleverness of the Bucket of Skunks Mr. Smeddley once got me (bouquet of Flowers)... or the time he got me a CD wrapped in a Halibut (cardboard) and newspaper (just for the Halibut), or the time I told him jewelry from a gumball machine was fine, so he bought me nice jewelry and gave it to me in a gumball machine, or the recent 'carpe piggum' certificate... or the time I said I wanted nothing and he bought me a new vacuum... okay, dammit, I'll never be as clever as him, but still, it was going to be slightly more clever than average. It's not my fault I'm married to such a clever bastard. He skews the curve.
Anyway, back to the story. It all starts several weeks ago, when Microcenter puts the last of the last generation MacBook Pros on clearance. Mr. Smeddley expressed an interest in one. And even though our agreement was that he didn't get another new computer for 1-1/2 years after his last or when he got a permanent full-time job... well, I'm a pushover and I decided to get it for him for Christmas. And I had this grand scheme that I was going to make a little 'Mac Book' (one of our gerbils is named Whatchamacallit - Mac for short - and it was going to be a little gerbil picture/story book) and wrap that up. Cute, right? Okay, but here's where it all starts to go pear-shaped.
I run out to Microcenter to buy it one Sunday when I'm off shopping. I plan on putting it on the Discover card - might as well get the cashback bonus, right? Only, there's a problem. The cashier says it's flagged and he has to call it in. I end up talking to the woman and she says our card was one of a group recently hacked from some retailer, and they were cancelling the card. She could let this charge go through (I'd supplied her with all the necessary info) but Mr. Smeddley would have to call to get the card re-issued. This, of course, was going to be a problem. Because of the store and the amount, he'd have known right away what it was. I told her to cancel the transaction, but she said it would still show, blah, blah, blah. I told her it was a present, and he couldn't know, and she said she'd mark that transaction. Long story short (too late!) I paid with the bank card and when he called they ended up telling him they couldn't discuss any recent transactions with him and I do admit my half-assed explanation probably didn't cut it. Still, I soldiered on.
A few days later he comes into my office and decides to sit in my big round chair, mere inches from the box barely hidden behind a wooden cutting board. It's only visible from the very top, so only if he were to spin around... of course, he immediately starts doing that. Panicked, I abandoned whatever I was doing and dragged him (literally, tugging on his hands) out of my office. Later I admitted he should have been able to see his present from there, but he swears he didn't. Still, it was so very close. I re-located the present to a much less visible (but evidently very guessable - more on that later) location.
Enter whatever day of the week this happened - Monday? I can't remember. Anyway, he picks up the mail and opens (rightly so, it was addressed to him) an envelope from Microcenter. It's their standard survey... the one with the cover letter that reads 'thank you for your recent computer purchase'.
*headdesk*
Game over, universe, you win. I gave him the computer (he's already setting it up for use next semester, so I suppose that's good, plus he had to order the software through school and all that takes time) - actually, I said he could have it if he could find it, and he only took a minute to guess my hiding place.
Now I have to go back to the drawing board for Christmas presents, though I've blown my budget entirely.
Socks and underwear it is...
Once upon a time, I had a brilliant idea for a cute Christmas present. It was going to be clever, and topical, and funny (at least, I think it was). Perhaps it would never top the time I smuggled a Lay-Z-Boy recliner into the basement (and wrapped up one of the Lay-Z-Boy raccoons as the present), or the cleverness of the Bucket of Skunks Mr. Smeddley once got me (bouquet of Flowers)... or the time he got me a CD wrapped in a Halibut (cardboard) and newspaper (just for the Halibut), or the time I told him jewelry from a gumball machine was fine, so he bought me nice jewelry and gave it to me in a gumball machine, or the recent 'carpe piggum' certificate... or the time I said I wanted nothing and he bought me a new vacuum... okay, dammit, I'll never be as clever as him, but still, it was going to be slightly more clever than average. It's not my fault I'm married to such a clever bastard. He skews the curve.
Anyway, back to the story. It all starts several weeks ago, when Microcenter puts the last of the last generation MacBook Pros on clearance. Mr. Smeddley expressed an interest in one. And even though our agreement was that he didn't get another new computer for 1-1/2 years after his last or when he got a permanent full-time job... well, I'm a pushover and I decided to get it for him for Christmas. And I had this grand scheme that I was going to make a little 'Mac Book' (one of our gerbils is named Whatchamacallit - Mac for short - and it was going to be a little gerbil picture/story book) and wrap that up. Cute, right? Okay, but here's where it all starts to go pear-shaped.
I run out to Microcenter to buy it one Sunday when I'm off shopping. I plan on putting it on the Discover card - might as well get the cashback bonus, right? Only, there's a problem. The cashier says it's flagged and he has to call it in. I end up talking to the woman and she says our card was one of a group recently hacked from some retailer, and they were cancelling the card. She could let this charge go through (I'd supplied her with all the necessary info) but Mr. Smeddley would have to call to get the card re-issued. This, of course, was going to be a problem. Because of the store and the amount, he'd have known right away what it was. I told her to cancel the transaction, but she said it would still show, blah, blah, blah. I told her it was a present, and he couldn't know, and she said she'd mark that transaction. Long story short (too late!) I paid with the bank card and when he called they ended up telling him they couldn't discuss any recent transactions with him and I do admit my half-assed explanation probably didn't cut it. Still, I soldiered on.
A few days later he comes into my office and decides to sit in my big round chair, mere inches from the box barely hidden behind a wooden cutting board. It's only visible from the very top, so only if he were to spin around... of course, he immediately starts doing that. Panicked, I abandoned whatever I was doing and dragged him (literally, tugging on his hands) out of my office. Later I admitted he should have been able to see his present from there, but he swears he didn't. Still, it was so very close. I re-located the present to a much less visible (but evidently very guessable - more on that later) location.
Enter whatever day of the week this happened - Monday? I can't remember. Anyway, he picks up the mail and opens (rightly so, it was addressed to him) an envelope from Microcenter. It's their standard survey... the one with the cover letter that reads 'thank you for your recent computer purchase'.
*headdesk*
Game over, universe, you win. I gave him the computer (he's already setting it up for use next semester, so I suppose that's good, plus he had to order the software through school and all that takes time) - actually, I said he could have it if he could find it, and he only took a minute to guess my hiding place.
Now I have to go back to the drawing board for Christmas presents, though I've blown my budget entirely.
Socks and underwear it is...