I celebrated another birthday this week with a wonderful weekend with my family. I was treated to a surprise trip to a bowling alley and a dinner at the same restaurant my mother took me to when I was a child. I was also treated to a nice, romantic dinner with my husband Jason. Those gifts are the ones that really matter -- time with my family.
But I can remember one birthday gift that left a lasting memory that still floats in my head two decades later. I was 16 years old, going on 50.
Let me explain…
My birthday cake and ice cream hadn’t settled in my stomach yet before Maw Maw was shoving gifts to me.
I had somehow managed to make it to my Sweet Sixteen birthday without my Momma losing her marbles, and my family and I had gathered at my grandmother’s house to celebrate my big day.
And I think Maw Maw was more excited to begin opening presents than I was on that chilly January day.
“Well, let’s get started,” Maw Maw said, shaking one of my gifts. “Ain’t no sense in just staring at them. Start opening.”
My aunt was still sitting at the kitchen counter with the remnants of her piece of cake. In typical Aunt Sonya-fashion, she produced a cigarette and began puffing away.
“Go ahead, Jamie,” she said, with a grin. “Maw Maw just wants to make sure she spent more than anybody else.”
I couldn’t help but start laughing before my Momma hit my elbow.
As I pulled the pink ribbon off the package, I did notice that Maw Maw had shoved her gift under her chair. Aunt Sonya was right. Maw Maw wanted to see what everyone else brought to the party before she presented her gift.
The first package was the latest music album from my favorite band, given to me by my best friend. Then an assortment of shirts, shoes, purses, makeup and new perfume came my way.
“This is from Aunt Eva,” Maw Maw said, shoving a half-wrapped package my way.
It wasn’t long before I realized that Aunt Eva had given me about four packages of Christmas socks.
“I know where she got those,” Maw Maw said. “They were four for a dollar at the dollar store. You know, they mark everything down after Christmas.”
Momma began to take her heavy sighs. Uncle Herbert laughed out loud, and Aunt Sonya got another cigarette going.
“Here’s mine,” Maw Maw said, shoving her gift into my hand.
It wasn’t wrapped in your traditional paper or package. It was inside a Piggly Wiggly bag, held shut by masking tape.
My gift from Maw Maw was a porcelain teddy bear, holding a cake. There was even a small candle on the cake that was shaped like the number “50.”
“I thought Jamie turned 16,” my best friend whispered to my Momma.
“Well, she’s 50 today,” Momma replied.
Maw Maw’s eyes were as huge as baseballs. She insisted that I carry the figure around and let everyone inspect it.
“You can even wind it up and it plays ‘Happy Birthday,’” she said.
I gave my Maw Maw a hug around her neck and thanked her for my present. I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do with a figure that celebrated my 50th birthday, but at least it wasn’t going to be outdated any time soon.
“But you know what,” Maw Maw asked, grabbing the teddy bear. “It would look so nice up here on my book case.”
Maw Maw then placed the figure in a spot already cleared out for it on her book shelf above her television set.
“Whatcha think about that,” she asked, looking back at me. “Why don’t we just say it’s yours but leave here on my shelf. That way you can look at it every time you come over.”
It took all I had not to burst out laughing at the absurdity of the whole incident. But I managed to hold it in and muster up a smile.
“Sure, Maw Maw,” I said, looking at up at the bear. “That will work.”
When my Maw Maw passed away years ago, the family and I began to sort through her home to decide where everything would go and to whom. Selling her house would take time, and some things we felt just needed to stay there for now...the way Maw Maw kept it.
Looking up at the dusty book shelf, I saw my teddy bear. It was still there, in the same spot, celebrating 50th birthdays.
“Well, there is your bear,” Momma said. “You want to finally take it home?”
With a grin on my face, I moved along to a box of old clothes.
“No,” I replied, with a smile. “It belongs there.”
