Sister and I, her in her Xmas sweater, me in a fishing shirt, took off on Friday afternoon and “went shopping.”
“See, bro, it would make me feel better about myself if I bought you a new computer, I know you could use a new one. Maybe get an iPod, too, huh? I’ve got a 30-gig iPod, look, they’ve got 40-gig models now. Wow, yours would actually be bigger than mine….”
I’ve got an old, slow Titanium Powerbook. This thing has road-warriored a lot of miles. I’ve always been attracted to the tough, Ti skin, although, in places, the paint has worn off, strictly from use.
“Oh man, that thing’s so old, it looks like it’s rusted. Kramer, you really do need a new one.”
Now, seeing as how sister is suffering the slings and arrows of an outrageous break-up, in the interest of her mental health, and since whatever it is she’s doing seems to be bringing in a lot more cash that whatever it is that I’m doing, I’d gladly sacrifice my needs so she could feel better about herself.
After all, I’m only going along with this because it is in her best interest.
We discussed models, sizes, RAM footprints, CD-DVD burners, built-in options, and add-on goodies. I was angling towards the smaller, cheaper model, but after we took a break from shopping – to have some of that vegetarian tofu (food item),
I really am a little worried about her mental health. She was laughing at all my jokes. That’s usually a bad sign, or a good sign, if you’re one who likes them a little mentally unstable.
We got about halfway through the purchase ordeal, up to the part where the cute little Gemini sales person in the Apple Store was ringing up the total, when I whispered, “You want one too; you know you do.”
In fact, it was my birthday. So I can say that it was strictly a gift for me. But there’s just something ultimately curative and restorative about retail therapy. We eventually walked out of there with two identical Powerbooks. Not top of the line, but certainly big enough to keep her happy. Plus – just imagine the benefits – for mental health.
I jus want to make sure that the record shows that I was only doing this for her. Sister needed a little support. Gots to show support for the family. Blood’s thicker than water. New computers are fun.
After dinner, after the show, it was late on Friday night, Sister and I were up at her place, playing with new and old hardware, trying it all out, and I kept answering questions about what went where and why. She brewed up coffee. I ran to the corner store for Egg Nog. Do we know how to party, or what?
Gong through the airport security, I asked if two laptops were a little extreme.
“Nope, three is tops so far.”
I got home really late Saturday night. Really late. Plugged the two computers into each other; let them make idle chatter while I slept.
