IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS

So, this is almost too touching to bear.

My eldest foster child has gone to astonishing lengths to get me the birthday present of my dreams.

This much I know because my partner has had to spill several - but not all of - the beans.

One of the drawbacks of having your birthday close to Christmas is people's confusion about whether to give a joint present or two separate ones, so the first thing eldest did was ask his foster dad for guidance on that one.

Then, when informed it was up to him, he needed to share his plan with someone, like you do, and foster dad was given a skeleton outline of the plan.

It involved sending off for two things one from Amazon the other from a private seller.

Our Alexa told us one moring that a delivery was coming including a picture frame. Eldest's ears pricked up. He muttered something like "Phew", which I was told was due to him sweating on it arriving in time.

Then the postman knocked on the door to deliver a large cardboard tube which eldest came flying down for and disappeared. Cue smug look on the face of my other half.

I asked him "Is this as big a deal as it's looking?"

He replied "I think it is."

I said "Why?"

My other half put a hand on my shoulder.

"D'you remember that training session about anger management?"

Me; "Vaguely, yes."

"The bloke talked about how people bottle up all the bothersome bits of the day; they spill their coffee and laugh about it, the traffic makes them late for work and they get shouted at by the boss and put up with it, their computer erases a load of work and they stay on top. Then they come home, their child slams a door, and then finally the dad erupts and gets violent. They call it the ten dollar slap for a one dollar misdemeanor."

"Yes…" I replied, hesitantly, wondering where this was going. He continued;

"Your birthday present is the opposite of the ten dollar slap"

Me; "Er…."

Then he said; "All the hundreds of times he's felt your love and kindness and everlasting patience, he's never been able to express anything. Now he's reached an age where he wants to bundle all that gratitude into one massive gesture. Namely your birthday present. He's gone miles out of his way, he's really nailed it. It's so incredibly thoughful. And kind."

Like I said, almost too touching to bear.

What is it?

This gift of all gifts?

Dunno, have to wait for my birthday...