h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Honest! No, really.. no kidding!

Long ago, when I was but a mere wisp of a mouse, Dad suddenly decided he'd gotten tools for Xmas for far too long, and this time he wanted something different! Trouble was, he had about everything else (and we were pretty much out of tools he didn't have, anyway), so the question plagued us.. "What can we get him?" ("We" = mother + I)

We searched and searched.. through all the Spiegel catalogues... On every little hanger suspended from the shelves of every aisle in every hole-in-the-wall, all through the local petrol station... Then at last our eyes fell on a little black box. It was rather small, only about a quarter-inch thick, measuring about 2x5 inches, but on the top were the life saving words (in -gold- no less! ), "For the man who has everything."

Gingerly, we opened the box, and resting inside was a tiny long-handled (well.. long for a 3-inch brush, that is -- the bristle part was only about half an inch long) black brush, and a small card. On the card were the words, "Belly Button Lint Brush" and inside were actually instructions on how to use it.

I didn't think I could wait til December 25th to see the look on Dad's face, but I didn't have much choice in the matter, as Mother hid it in some little nook that I hadn't as yet discovered. Then came the big day... I can still hear him laughing, see him holding his sides. Now, when most of the tools have been replaced (at least once -- thank goodness we got those with warranties), that little black box still holds it's place of honour in the top drawer of his dresser. And yes, it's been used.

'Nonnie

That's a great story Nonnie

*Grins* .. and it's all true.

I wish I could find one for my Dad. Aren't Dad's the worst to buy for?

You should try having a mum whose birthday's
on 26th December!! That's difficult!

Or a daughter who's birthday is the 27th. Most years you end up holding a gift from Xmas back and wrapping it in birthday wrap. This year I vowed I would -not- do that, and had planned to take her out, let her pick something in the $X - XX range and buy it for her, then take her out for dinner and an evening of shooting pool (which she's been bugging me about for some time now). *sigh* .. And wouldn't you know it.. They schedule her to work and extra-long day that day. *sigh*

And yes, Peta.. Dads, once you've outgrown the innocent 'socks and ties' age (about six, max) are some of the hardest people I know. Of course, as usual, Dad's answer this year is, "Don't buy me much of anything, just buy for the kids." ... This year I've been especially at a loss for a gift, so I confess to have resorted to the standard fall-by... things for the car: a windshield squeegie with a spray-bottle attached, a cupholder (he probably has one of the only cars left on the planet without a built-in one) and special cup, a trash container (from the granddaughter mentioned above).. Oh.. and a pocket-sized addressbook, so he doesn't have to keep calling me for addresses and numbers.

I saw a thing in a magazine that the belly-button brush reminded me of. It was called the "Baldy Brush", and was just a wooden paddle with a bit of lamb's wool attached so one could "buff" their head into a gleaming sphere.

Screwy, ain't it?

Screwy? Well.. Probably not as much as the couple that I've actually seen -using- those things.

'Nonnie