With no workable bag, I then have to improvise, this time with some leftover Spiderman Christmas paper. Look closely--the tiny sprigs of holly, though discreet, are a dead giveaway.
Zoomie didn't know it at the time, but he was about to get the only convertible I could find on my down-to-the-last-minute shopping trip last Thursday. Despite the fact that we are in the middle of summer, all the convertibles seemed to be on car lots rather than on the toy shelves at Target.
Except this one--and I almost missed it. That's because this blue plastic convertible came a part of a tow truck/trailer set, shown here with Zoomie, Bootsie, and Pooh.
If I do say so myself, the truck is a pretty cool rig with all the bells and whistles--or at least the working horn, lights, and backup/engine noises--any self-respecting seven-year-old could want. It even includes winch and harness for moving the convertible on and off the trailer. The toy is a neat birthday story in its own right, but the story behind the gift makes it even better.
When Zoomie and his family visited us a couple weeks ago, their visit coincided with that of some other very special house guests. The evening of everyone's arrival marked the first time in fifty-one years that Pa-pa had seen a friend he served with in Vietnam in the late 1960s. It was the culmination of an effort he and I had begun as a long shot via Facebook message last September after Pa-pa recognized the man's name in a veterans' newsletter.
To make a long story short, the man and his wife answered our message (from me--a name they didn't recognize) several weeks later. Phone calls between the guys followed, and finally the two reunited when the couple took a short detour from their vacation route and stopped to spend the night with us.
Here's where the convertible comes in--they were driving one. As they prepared to drive off, they put the top down and prepared for a ride toward the Black Hills on a perfect summer day. Zoomie, in particular, was fascinated by the way the car top receded behind the back seat, leaving its occupants to enjoy the open air. He talked about it all day, and that was when I knew, somehow, there would have to be a convertible for his birthday.
We left Zoomie and his family after our birthday lunch together at McDonald's (his choice), but I have been thinking ever since then about him and the things I wish for him as he turns seven and prepares to head into the second grade.
Happy birthday, Zoomie-Zoo. I wish you a great summer of fun. You are riding your bike so well now, and I hope you can put the finishing touches on those swimming lessons. I hope your allergies and asthma improve with the testing and treatments planned for summer. In some ways, you have had to grow up beyond your years, and in others you have hung tenaciously to your role as the "little brother."
In just a few short months, you will no longer be the "baby." Little Pookie (trying out a blog name here) will be the youngest, and for the first time you will be a "big brother." I am sure you will be a good one, and he will learn a lot from you about the sweetness and kindness and gentleness that have always been a part of what you are.
I hope you meet the coming changes bravely, sweet boy, and embrace this transition. This time next year, when you are turning eight, someone else should be about ready to learn just how that blue convertible works.
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