June 28, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. The Gift.

My across the street neighbors have two children. Hughes is going into his third year at Mississippi State while Anne Avery has just turned 16. They are both delightful children. Their birthdays are on the same date in April, which means that Anne Avery is old enough to get her drivers license. After the school year year ended, she worked on getting her license and she was successful, just last week. She said nothing to her parents about her own car but she knew that the parents gave a Jeep to Hughes not long after he got his license. But she never said a word. I had lunch with Donna, the mother, three weeks ago and she told me that both she and Gregg, the father, had been looking up cards for her. But they said nothing to Anne Avery about their search. They settled on a small SUV at a used car dealer in Jackson but when Gregg looked up the model on the internet he found the same car with less miles and $3,000. less. The problem is that the car was in Minnesota. They thought for sure the dealer would cut the price but they would not. Donna and Gregg fly to get the car and drive the car back. Anne Avery thought the parents were going to a meeting, which of course they were. Last evening just after 7:00 I got a text. Gregg was driving the car into their driveway, and asking if I would like to see the fun. Of course I went outside to see the fun. The parents both went inside. A few minutes later, Anne Avery and the whole family came outside. And Anne Avery shrieked. And she laughed outloud. Next she bounced up and down like a rubber ball. She was so surprised and excited. Even I got in the spirit. After walking around the car a dozen times the whole family went for a ride in the new car. I thought the whole scene was splendid. I enjoyed every minute even from across the street and even with me wearing my night shirt. Good parents and good children. Pretty nice.