A Christmas Popcorn Ball Dec 16, 2010
When I was a small boy, oh not that long ago and living with my Aunt Cora (Cory), Uncle Everett (unk), cousin Everett (Tubby) and younger sister Carol (Sugar) there came a time when, finally Christmas was here.
And in that small war time two bedroom home we were all gathered around the Christmas tree.
There was excitement in the air and I (Dude) was shaking like a dog on point ready to pounce in an instance on those presents all piled under that tree.
Here I must insert a little note about popcorn balls. Those things were about the size of between a baseball and a softball and while they were actually pretty good I had already eaten my fair share of them and was in no mood for any more.
But now the moment had arrived and Tubby, I think it was, began to pass out one by one those treasures from neath the tree.
Us kids, sis and I, were told to be patient and quite. Ha, fat chance of that happening as we were about to burst.
Finally, yes finally, my cousin reached in and took his time reading the name tag, and even more slowly he rose up very slowly and began searching the room for the person whose name was on that tag. He looked at every person; he looked up, down, to the right, to the left, scratched his butt and just did everything he could do to stall.
Then his eyes settled on mine and just as I was to screech he reached out to me.
In an instance, as that arm stretched out I knew for sure what it was. My heart sank a little, as I looked at it. The gift was wrapped in red with a pretty little bow and it was about the size of a baseball or softball. I just knew it was a damn, pardon me, popcorn ball. I stood up, raised that package up as far as I could and in a loud scornful voice said, hey, any one want a popcorn ball. Alas, there were no takers and I’m not sure anyone heard me. They were busy with their own wonderful gifts.
Now in those days, kids didn’t get a truck load of gifts so many the times one gift is all you got. But I’m sure that I received more than one, probably lots, I just can’t remember them.
What I do remember is that I opened up that red, round gift immediately after shouting to the world my distain for popcorn balls.
Funny thing was that this was a very smooth package and as I peeled back the wrapper a baseball was revealed. Made of white plastic and painted to look like a baseball it was pretty enough but what was I going to do with a plastic baseball.
A little more investigation and the ball split in half and inside that ball was a genuine Babe Ruth wrist watch. Golly goldfish, this was something aright.
I jumped up and raised that watch up as far as I could reach then I proceeded to tell the world, look, look everyone I have a watch.
Nobody paid any attention. If they had they may have seen a very, very red-faced little boy for I was also very, very embarrassed by my earlier demonstration.
Merry Christmas to all of you, Ben
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