I think it was June, summer for sure, who really remembers the date of the when’s this year. I know I was still mostly doing a lot of the buying for my restaurants piecemeal. Trying not to spend too much, counting every dime. Things were positive but not home free. I was standing in line at Costco when one of the checkout ladies scanned my card and said “Oh you’ve got that cash back card,how do you like it?” “Cash back?” I replied. “I’ve had this for 5 years and received nones cash.” “Oh baby, you gotta stop at the customer service on the way out. They probably have some money for you.”

A former manager had gone and signed me up for a Costco Membership some 5 years ago when they opened. I told them to get a business membership if they had it as I liked the early access that came with it. They returned with the card and we proceeded, never once considering the features of said card. I did know it didn’t get me in any earlier. So one fail on the books.

I stopped on the way out where a nice clerk explained that the checks came in plain envelopes without Costco written on them so you could have missed it. I explained I must have missed all of them. She dug into her info machine and her voice started raising. “Boy, you have a check for $367 in here, wait here’s one for $255, and another for $100 something , here’s one for $150.” The finally tally, almost $900.

I was the star of customer service. “Cherise, this boy is getting almost $1000 and didn’t even know it!” They smiled and nearly cheered. I said thanks and took my new found wad of cash. I started mentally buying guitars, as I am still a 13 year old boy.

Upon returning to the store I put it an envelope and had a full plan in my head. I would use it for Christmas or a home reno project for my wife or something. As such, I’ve kept this story a secret from her.

Right before the pandemic my friend, artist Mary Claire Delony Salvaggio asked me if she could do a portrait of me. I said yes, sure and with everything that went on after, promptly forgot about it for a minute. Over the summer she checked back in and said she’d started it. I was intrigued as I hadn’t sat still for any sort of session and then remembered there’s pretty much a story of my life on the internet in pictures. I again filed it away until when in August she texted me to say it was done. I was anxious to see it and blown away when I saw it.

MC and I have have been friends for 5 ish years. The kind who are always glad to see each other but who could go weeks or months without talking just because we were rolling along in life. I say this because when I saw the painting she did I was mesmerized by how she depicted me. It’s above. You can see it. To me it captures a part of me that I’m not sure I advertise enough. An inner creative that’s intense to a fault and who can’t ever stop thinking. It’s above the piano in our house and I love it.

I try and keep my wife and family out of these writings except for in broad strokes and light stories. I can be a lot and my willingness to throw up everything into the internet can be a challenge for them. I’m always appreciative that for the most part, my wife especially, rolls with it. She’s quiet and private and doesn’t necessarily understand why I feel the need to do all of this. I am ever grateful for this.

I give you the above because my wife, like a lot of women, is the rock of our household. She makes sure everything runs smoothly and plans meticulously to make sure our kids and I get everything we need. During the pandemic she worked to plan two trips for us and got my daughter squared away with college visits and scholarships and the like, all while working full time as a nurse.

Mom’s for the most part get the poop end of the Christmas stick. Always putting themselves last they get the slippers and the robe, the occasional piece of jewelry and they watch with moist eyes, their kids, as they open the gifts they spent months planning. This year I decided, I’d get her something she’d never asked for but would hopefully cherish for a long time.

After receiving the portrait from MC I hatched a plan. Slowly. Each week I began to add to the envelope at the store until I had the money to pay for her to do two portraits of my kids. Being a mom defines Jeanne. I brought my Costco cash to MC and let the games begin.

I’m writing this in real time Christmas morning, the rest of the house still asleep and me looking at the fruition of my plan. Like the birth of my two kids, I chose not to see the portraits ahead of time and am excited as I was as a young kid waiting for my parents to wake up. How often do we truly get “good”surprised anymore?

I know there’s no way for this to not sound like a self congratulatory pat on the back. “Local man does something nice for wife and won’t shut up about it,” the headline reads. I don’t much care. While there have been ups and downs and things have been stressful, I look back on this year as a multitude of positives. This is to me, one great story among many great things I’ve realized and had happen to me this year. I’ve just had to keep my self open to their possibilities. They have, without fail, delivered.

I’m sitting patiently. Waiting to see the magic my friend has created and the reaction to follow...of which I’ll embarrassingly share as well.

Much love to you and yours this Christmas.

The biggest of hugs and highest of fives.