Christmas in July.

Tonight my friend Scott calls me at 10pm.  'Al, I have a question'...  That statement is right up there with 'I have something to tell you' or 'We have to talk'.  Any of those immediately make me want to throw up a little, because it never sounds like it's going to end good.
The good news is, this was all about him and his problem and there was nothing for me to worry about.  Phew.  Do me a favor and try and stay with this blog through the blah blah, before I tie this into Christmas and the most embarrassing Christmas story ever. EVER.
Scott wanted to know if it was appropriate for him to continue to wear a ring his ex boyfriend gave him years ago.  He described the ring I have known to have been on his finger for years- sterling silver, Tiffany's ring.  He doesn't wear it on his ring finger.  It was a promise ring, but now he wears it because inside he remembers the meaning behind it, and it is the 'nicest piece of jewelry he owns.'  'Why should it sit in a box?'.
I agreed.  It's not a wedding band, or engagement ring, it is a nice piece of jewelry that someone who once loved him bought him.  It's special and as long as he's not looking at it and weeping...I say it stays.
I have a piece of jewelry I wear almost everyday from an ex.  I don't really think about it when I put it on--it is a piece that is completely me.  It goes with everything for the most part, and I love it.  Every once in a while I look at it and remember that someone loved me and gave it to me, and I also remember how much I've changed and grown since that relationship.  That's my thought on the subject--if you have better advice for Scott, as always feel free to comment.  If nothing else, Scott will feel special.
OK here is the Christmas tie in.  So, Scott's ring is from Tiffany's--this is the segway.
One Christmas I was living with my good friend Gina.  It was the Christmas almost a year after an awful break up.  The kind that leaves you just broken and empty.  It had been a long year, and she had lived with me through it.  We didn't talk about exchanging gifts, but we had a running joke about her being a 'bitch'.  We would always laugh about her straight forward bedside manor.  For the record Gina can be described as fiercely loyal, kind, and a whole lot of other words that are decidedly un-bitchy.  Generous.  Gina is generous with her time, friendship, listening, compassion--you name it.  However, we have this running 'Gina is such a bitch' joke.  Well, imagine my surprise when I come across a tear away day calendar called 'Getting in Touch with your Inner Bitch'.  What a funny gift.  We didn't talk about doing gifts, but I get this for her--just a little funny something for Christmas morning.
To my surprise Gina comes out of her room Christmas morning with a gift for me also.  I am excited and I tell her to open hers--I'm pretty sure I did a nice card...and then the calendar.  She opened it and we had a good laugh. Ha ha ha.   Ohhh, Alison.  You are SO FUNNY.
Then she hands me my gift.
I open the bag and look inside.  I recognize the blue box as Tiffany's.  She must have re-used the box.  Right? RIGHT?
My heart starts to kind of pound a little bit..OK a lot of bit.
I open the blue box and there is a little blue jewelry bag inside.  This is not going well.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to pass out.
I open up a beautiful pair of sterling silver Tiffany's silver earrings.  Gina tells me she wanted to give them to me to wear until I meet a guy who is kind enough to buy me something from Tiffany's.
Did I mention she is generous?
I have never wanted to crawl into a hole so badly in my entire life...well, let's be real.  I'm sure I have.  This moment is right up there with the best of them though.
My friend and roommate buys me Tiffany earrings for Christmas.  I bought her the 'Bitch Calendar'.
There is just really NOTHING you can say to come back from that..I couldn't be like 'Just kidding, your brand new CAR is waiting in the driveway!'.  Even I couldn't talk myself out of that one.  I know when to admit defeat.  This Christmas in July memory jog has been brought to you by Scott...Scott, thanks again for that awkward walk around memory lane.  Gina...I'm still working on your fabulous gift.  I'm just waiting for MY 'bitch calendar'.  That's when I'm going to bust out my secret weapon.