Something Useful

So when I asked Dad

what he wanted

for Christmas

He said

oh nothing.

So I said

come on, dad, what?

and he said

No, really, I don’t want anything.

You can’t afford it.

Yes I can

I said

I want to buy you something.

He said,

Well, all right then, but make it

something useful.

So I said

Like what?

And he said

Oh, I don’t know,

Something I need…

And I said

Like what?

And he said

Well I don’t know…

Something for the kitchen…

I know, 

we really need a new tin opener.

A tin opener?

Yes.

But that’s not a very nice Christmas present.

And he said

I don’t mind – that’s what I want.

So the next day

after school

I popped into town

before I went home.

I went into Sharp’s

and then into Humphrey’s

and they didn’t have many tin openers

but I managed to find one like the one we had before

for 49p,

which I could afford.

So I was just taking it up to the counter to pay

when Jonathon Luxton was there

and he came up to me

and he saw what I had in my hand

and he said

a tin opener?

Wow!  Somebody’s getting a nice Christmas present.

And I couldn’t think what to say,

so I didn’t say anything.

I just sort of shrugged and

smiled

and bought the tin opener

and then I went off to Harding’s

to find some wrapping paper.