The Gift

A young man wanted to purchase a gift for his new sweetheart's birthday, and as they had not been dating very long, after careful consideration he decided a pair of gloves would strike just the right note: romantic, but not too personal.

Accompanied by his sweetheart's younger sister, he went to Nordstrom's and bought a pair of white gloves. The sister purchased a pair of panties for herself. During the wrapping the clerk mixed up the items and the sister got the gloves and the sweetheart got the panties.

Without checking the contents, the young man sealed the package and sent it to his sweetheart along with this note:

"I chose these because I noticed that you are not in the habit of wearing any when we go out in the evening. If it had not been for your sister I would have chosen the long ones with the buttons, but she wears the short ones that are easier to remove.

These are a delicate shade, but the lady I bought them from showed me the pair she had been wearing for the past three weeks and they were hardly soiled. I had her try yours on for me and she looked really smart.

I wish I was there to put them on for you the first time, as no doubt other hands will come in contact with them before I have a chance to see you again. When you take them off, remember to blow in them before putting them away as they will naturally be a little damp from wearing.

Just think how many times I will kiss them during the coming year. I hope you will wear them for me on Friday night.

All my love,

P.S. The latest style is to wear them folded down with a little fur showing."

The Fox and the Goat

When I was young, my grandmother would often read to me. Her favorite stories were those that taught a lesson in life and, as I grew older, many of these stories helped to guide me through mine. As I tend to be impulsive by nature, this is the story that I've needed to heed most:

One day, by unlucky chance, a fox fell into a deep well and could find no means of escape.

A Goat, overcome with thirst, came to the same well and upon seeing the Fox, inquired if the water was good. Concealing his sad plight under a merry guise, the Fox indulged in a lavish praise of the water, saying it was excellent beyond measure, and encouraged the Goat to descend.

The Goat, mindful only of his thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down, but just as he drank, the Fox informed him of the predicament they were both in and suggested a plan for them both to escape.

"If," said the Fox, "you will place your forefeet upon the wall and bend your head, I will run up your back and jump to safety and will help you out afterwards."

The Goat readily assented and the Fox leaped upon his back. Steadying himself with the Goat's horns, he safely reached the mouth of the well and ran off as fast as he could.

When the Goat cried out after him, chastising him for breaking his promise, he turned around and said, "You foolish old fellow! If you had as many brains in your head as you have hairs in your beard, you would never have gone down before you had inspected the way up, nor would you have exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape."

The lesson to be learned fro the Goat's plight: Look before you leap.

Traditions

I have been repeating the same mistakes in life for do long, I may as well call them traditions.