The Michael Swayne Story V: King of his Castle

Santa must have read my Facebook update yesterday, because he didn't drop off any presents last night. Unless I was bad this year, and he just dropped coal down the chimney. That might explain why I didn't have to put wood in the fire as much last night. Oh well.

Today was nice. Dad stopped by today. He gave my brother and I a gift. My brother received a pair of jeans. I have no intention of opening what he got me. He came to my room and said, "Here. I got you a present."

I replied, "What is it?"

"I bought you something you need." Then I rolled my eyes and plunked the gift on top of the television beside my computer. Dad stood there a moment, I guess he was waiting for me to open it. I didn't, so he went back into the living room with my brother. I followed because I wanted to show him what Itsy Bitsy does when she's in the house now. When she is inside, she sits on the floor next to the vents and puts her paws over the vents so they warm up.

Dad insisted that the gift was something I needed. I asked him, "So, you got me a handful of money?"

"No, but if I had a handful of money I would've given it to you," he replied.

My mind was screaming, "well, you seem to have had a considerable amount to get me something I supposedly NEEDED!" I walked back into my room before I said what I was thinking. While I was watching Unknown Entity's video of her dog opening presents, which was super cute by the way, my brother said something I couldn't hear. Then, Dad called out, "Floozy had nothing to do with the present. I bought it myself and everything." I continued what I was doing. Shortly after, the two of them left.

When my brother came back, Grandma arrived. She was on her way to my Aunt's to help prepare the meal. She stopped by to drop off cookies and her gifts to us. She gave each of us $30. Now that was something I needed. Now, I can pay the water bill (and add to the total my brother owes me), and get that out of the way. My brother has probably already spent his $30. Anyway, Grandma told me the same thing she does every year, and that is that I should go to the dinner. I gave my shoulders the same shrug I always give, and walked her out to her car. She was in a hurry, because they didn't have enough green beans.

A little while later, my brother left for the dinner. And that's when I shut down. I walked over to the fire, made myself comfortable on the couch, and fell asleep. I must have been really tired, because I slept until nearly 5pm.

Anyway, I do know what Dad got me. Or well, I have an idea. A while back, he said that I needed a rear light for my bike so I would be safer when I ride to town so early in the mornings. And the gift is roughly the same size and shape as the ones I saw at Wal-Mart when I rode there on my bike earlier this year. The thing is, I don't actually need it. I don't ride when it's dark now, because it's too cold to do that. And really, how can he decide what I need when he is rarely here long enough to do anything other than use the bathroom. Even if I did need something, I would buy it myself. It's what I have done for years. Believe me, if there's something I need, I don't go without it for long.

And really, I don't want anything he offers me. After everything he's done since he came home last year, no amount of bicycle accessories will make me forgive him. The one thing I wanted for Christmas was for him to say that he was coming home and would remain faithful to my Mom until his death. I didn't get that, so I don't want any LED lights to put on my bike.

I fully expect Dad to come here tomorrow and ask if I opened it. And I also expect him to take it back when he finds out that I haven't. It's what he does.

Anyway, I don't have work tomorrow. And honestly, that sucks. Tomorrow is not a holiday here, so everything is open. If I knew that the papers would be delivered tomorrow morning as usual, I would go and deliver them anyway. I will be asking what day the papers will be delivered next week though. I am supposed to deliver next Friday as well. But next Friday is my birthday, and I don't want to spend it delivering papers. I don't want what I do when I turn 3³ (3-cubed for those that may have formatting issues) to be delivering newspapers. So, if the papers will still be delivered to the office on Thursday, I will want to deliver on Thursday.

Besides that, the office is closed on Fridays now. How will I get my checks if there won't be anyone there?

I did somewhat of a present from the cats today. I sat on the porch swing this evening after bringing in firewood (by myself, again). The kittens and Itsy Bitsy, all jumped up on me and piled onto my lap. It was my own personal Kitty Pile. So many fuzzy faces in my grasp. So CUTE!

Anyway, Christmas is now over here. It's seven minutes into Boxing Day. Eight minutes. That's all for now. I hope to see you around the forums, and until then...

Later!

Michael