The "Master and Commander" Story, or, What to Give Enrique for His Birthday

It is a well established rule that one shouldn't buy anything for oneself in the weeks immediately prior to one's birthday. Especially if one has a wife who tends to shop early because she finds things on sale. And if one has been married to said wife for many years, one should be quite familiar with the rules.

A couple of years ago, Enrique decided to sign up for a DVD club. He decided to do this about a week before his birthday and the movies he chose for the 4 free promotion were all ones he wanted (and how hard would it have been to say, "I'm getting these two - would you like West Side Story and You've Got Mail?). Did he tell me what movies he was getting before he ordered them? No. But later, he rattled off his testosterone-filled list. One of his choices was Master and Commander, which he had already told me he wanted and so I had already bought it for his birthday.

I don't really remember why I didn't return it - probably because I didn't have a gift receipt :) - but there was some reason I couldn't. Therefore he ended up with two copies of Master and Commander and a wife who wouldn't let it go (and who got her sister and best friend in on it, too). I really wanted to keep wrapping the same movie and have everybody give it to him for Christmas. I didn't, but we still give him a hard time about it.

Oh, and the same year I found a great Christmas gift for my dad (who's impossible to shop for), and then he went out and bought it for himself, too. Grr! There's a reason there are rules!