We literally laid down the cards.
In the phonetically read version of saying that sentence. Every syllable drawn out.
That is what we did.
We laid down cards.
And Jacob discovered cards and treasures.
Yesterday, Jacob had a great day and so did Benno. Benno got to go to the hobby shop that Steve went to as a child to see toy cars race. He lived his best life. He even had his first sleepover. And Jacob was as strong as an Ox, chasing my father, chasing him.
And then committed larceny. Stealing my father’s wallet. Claiming it.
Hiding it.
He then announced that he needed a better wallet.
A chance to see sun!!! Off to buy him a wallet. He wore a mask, and rode in his new wagon, a stealth get out of my way vehicle.
This wagon is like how I feel about fanny packs (shout to Janina here) Uh! FUCK YES! Everything in reachable action mode. The wagon has a cooler (yep you heard me a cooler), there is an entire canopy for sun protection (he is color sensitive now) and there are two ways to pull it (so yes two people can pull it). It has compartments for anything you can put a pillow in and even carry some groceries. WIN
Now my driving of it…not as much of a win, but I’m working on it.
Jacob picked out a red wallet. It was better than Papa’s because it had “another compartment. A safer compartment.” We call this the change purse. He was sold.
He came home and we splintered off. Steve working, me reading, and Jacob working on his wallet. We weren’t paying much attention, but it turns out he was foraging. Foraging for cards.
Steve and I only learned of it when he called us down. Always a RED alarm tone so I came running.
He told me he was “missing a card.”
“A credit card.”
I swear. He was pretty adamant about it.
So I laid down my cards. Literally all of my cards. I laid them down. Anything you want.
On team Abby (drumroll)…
WAIT
For the record. I need to share. Team “Abby” doesn’t have a lot. I only carry 5 cards with me (metro, credit, bank, ID, and now insurance). The rest of my cards live in an abyss of drawers, because I leave my “cards” everywhere. So please future friend when I turn 40, don’t buy me a gift card, honestly don’t buy me a present, I want for nothing. You might as well give that money in the name of charity or get a massage on behalf of me because it is as good as throwing that money out of the window.
It’s terrible. I suck at gift cards.
But the good news! Jacob found all of them. He went scavenging around the house.
So Jacob already had most of my cards, some I think were from the early 2000’s.
Then walked in Steve. I explained what we were doing and he showed his cards.
On team Steve…DAMN. That was a lot of cards.
It was physically a mountain. Wrapped in a rubber band that is kept in his backpack. I guess I should know about these cards, we do live together, but you haven’t seen my husband’s backpack.
I can’t even begin to describe it, because I really have no idea how to explain it.
So I just snapped a picture of it laying on the floor…shhhh…Steve probably won’t read this so he won’t even know.
Everything is container store ready. Every category grouped and each one of those bags are velcroed to the backing so it stays in its order. He has designed every square inch. Each container with dimensions that fit what it needs perfectly (no wasted volume). And of course, it acts as a bullet shield. The back has a bulletproof panel. He is ready. Always ready.
So he laid out his cards.
It took a good 30minutes. Jacob looking at this bounty. He took his time. Asking questions. “What does this one do?”
He wanted to understand Steve’s scuba diving card, which he decided was “too dangerous.” He wanted to know about Steve’s fishing license. He wanted to understand what “intermix” was. He passed on his own global entry card (Steve, of course, carries all of our cards at all times…you never know when you need to flee the country I guess! Jacob passed on all. “You should hold on to that Dad to be safe.” Smart man.
He was very thoughtful.
Here is what made the cut for each slot in his wallet:
A library card. “I can have all the books I want in the world and they are free” (you can imagine how happy this statement made me feel)
Dairy Queen gift card (from his grandma). Dairy Queen is an important part of our Minnestota traditions. We plan on getting a cookie and creme blizzard.
A credit card (he ain’t no dummy)
My Barnes & noble educator discount card
2 metro cards: “got to get around”
2 Spa credit cards. This was cute. He kept them for Benno. “So Benno can get a massage.”
My Allen-Stevenson ID card (this oddly came from Steve’s stack. Steve says I gave it to him, years ago. He has carried every day since). This felt special.
An Intermix gift card from probably the early 2,000 that I didn’t even knew I had. I tell him that this is a mommy store that sells clothing and jewelry. He should take the fishing license or daddy’s office key card, but he insists on keeping it. Now I know why. This morning we went there in his wagon and mask and bought a gift for his friend Aerin. Note to Allie- don’t lose this…its real!
And then…Steve had a weird small box at the bottom of the stack making the tension on the rubber band taut. Something I have never seen. While I hadn’t seen the band of cards, I had seen every card in it at some point in my life, but not this.
It was a coin that his grandfather gave to him. It was his grandfather’s lucky coin. It was blessed by a rabbi in Russia to protect him on his journey to America over 100 years ago.
Steve has never really spoken about his maternal grandfather. I know very little about him. Now I’ve learned he is a quiet man. Never spoke much, but one day he asked Steve to come to speak to him. He told him about the coin and then gave it to him. Steve has had the coin on him every day since.
I have never known it.
I have never seen it
And he offered it to Jacob. He told him of its significance and he took it. He took it.
He now has a full wallet
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