Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Gift cards for really weird people..my family

I have to tell you this story. I could not ignore my crazy aunt Ruth and my mother on Yule. On the 21st, I gave them their presents. I said, you can save them until your Christmas or open them now on Yule. My aunt, who is 90 and senile, loooooooooves presents, she ripped into it like a spastic child. Inside they both found gifts that baffled them completely. I had gotten them both a pair of nice warm gloves and sat the gloves on top of a case of Minute Maid lemonade treats. The boxes were a pretty bright yellow and pink. The kind of drink that come in a metallic pouch with a straw attached. I knew this was something they had never tried, nor would they ever try unless someone else bought the "new fangled" things. My aunt said "What is it?" I told her it was lemonade, which I happen to know she likes and hardly ever makes. I said, see the little straws? You stick it in the little bag and have yourself a lemonade treat. She tore open the box and looked at one and said "Do you need one of them computers to work this?" I said, no, it is just lemonade. Try it. "Aint that the damnedest thing! Louie, look at this here thing! Patty says it's some kind of lemon treat!" Uh huu, that went on for 15 minutes, she was scared to try one and said it looked like something from outter space that "them there" astro-nuts drank! "Oh my lordy, am I gonna get drunk? I aint no drunk!" It just went on and on..it was torturous.
*
Also included was a card and inside the card were gift certificates for one of the only two places they will eat. The HyVee deli. (The other place is McDonalds) A ride was included and you know I worded that very carefully. Sigh. My mother picked up the plastic card and said "What's this? A credit card? I don't understand?" I said, you take that to the deli and they will give you a dinner. She said "But, I don't know how to work this thing. I don't understand." My aunt chimed in.."What the hell we need a credit card for? We aint payin' no interest to the government for no damn credit card!" My mother kept carefully turning hers over like it would magically turn into Satan. She put on her glasses and inspected it. "I just don't get it. I don't know how to work these things." It just went on for fucking ever. I said Happy Yule and left.
*
My family is the Clampets, if they were retarded and had no oil.

35 comments:

MonicaW42 said...

Happy Yule Pat. Never change..... And if you catch any smack talk for what you wrote.... I am sorry but I think everyone has a Clampet in the family but won't admit it. My parents are still here and I showed my Mom and she died laughing as we have some Clampet's we keep hidden.

BH said...

That is one of the funniest things I've ever read. Could just picture your relatives handling the cards and your mom saying "I don't understand". OY!

Dirty Disher said...

Man, it just gets tiresome. I can't even show my mom a photo on the computer, she screams "I don't know nuthin' about them computers!!!" Yeah, you have eyes?

TVsnark said...

That's so funny.

I guess you don't have to worry about them ever finding/reading this blog. Even is somebody showed it to them, they wouldn't know how to 'work it.'

TVsnark said...

Monica, I agree, every family has some Clampetts. I can't think of mine . . . does that mean it's ME??? :D

" . . nuthin' about them computers!!!" . . . love it!!

Anonymous said...

Like those old ladies even have to drive themselves down to the HyVee to figure out how to use those cards on their own. Jeez. Great visuals from this story as usual. LOL.

escrow

Shelly said...

I only got 2 other people presents beside Syd. I bought cool glass jars with lids from Crate and Barrel, went to the Amish bulk store and bought some of my favorite candies. I layered the candies in the jars, wrapped up up and sent em out. There was Chocolate rocks, gummy butterflies, gummy fried eggs, carob and white chocolate chips,jelly beans and a few others I can't remember. I'm really bad at getting things out, but this year I managed. The jars weighted about 50 pounds each and I hope they make it to their destinations of New Orleans and Detroit.
Note: Nothing for, or from my family. When my money ran out, so did they.

TVsnark said...

It's a "magic card."
When you are hungry it somehow knows and it turns into the food you are craving. BE careful because this card has extreme powers. If you are craving a Hamburger it might give you a cow. Think of this card as Aunt Clara. Better watch what you wish for.

Anonymous said...

lol...that's just humorous!

Elaine

Anonymous said...

DD u are soooo good to them and omfg the
response back to you like they are paranoid
over a gift card linking them to a govt tracking
CIA oprative 0r something just as radical as
lemonade for NASA ?!?!!!!! My my my how
spry your 90 year olde auntie ripped into your
gift ahhhh it's true we can't pick our families
clampetts or otherwise. Happy Yule DD :) &
thanks for another glimpse into your world. Kiki

Nina said...

Oh Jeez Pat, I always admire the strength it takes to deal with those two but I have to be honest and say when you re-tell the tales they are side splitters.

I think you should sell those two to some network as a reality TV show! It would be a riot. Can you imagine what they'd do to a camera crew! If a gift-card throws them can you imagine a boom-mike over their heads?

Dan Zinski said...

Is there anything in the universe worse than getting stuck in line behind some old lady attempting to use a gift card? There needs to be a separate line just for them. With an oxygen tank for when they get winded.

Anonymous said...

Hi Nina :) new grandma with all the fresh
new wintery white snow. Happy Yule ! :) Kiki

Anonymous said...

Crabbie we have those special lines up here
they call it customer service. Kiki in Canada
( I'm actually @ Atlantis right now ;)

lisa k. said...

LOL DD, that is so funny. A drink pouch is foreign to them. I bet after she tries it, she will be love it. Your Mom amazes the hell out of me. The things she says just cracks me up.

lisa k. said...

She will LOVE IT! Dammit to hell! I do that all the damn time.

Unknown said...

I can just picture the little old ladies trying to figure out what to do with their presents. It's too funny.

Chrissy said...

My mom's sisters are just like that. We call them the Coconut Aunts. One of them got an ATM card and kept forgetting her PIN code so she wrote it on a piece of masking tape and attached it to the card - very safe.

The sad part is that we'll all be old and goofy some day too. What a bummer.

A-Gran said...

I actually read this out loud to my cranky husband who has no interest in blogs and HE laughed at it. Nice work, DD.

A-Gran said...

Oh, and TVSnark: Your 'Aunt Clara' reference made me cackle.

Anonymous said...

you think they will save the drink pouches? Try to re-use them somehow? I used to clean house for an old lady that used really nice Dixie paper plates. After she used them she would wash them. Kinda takes away the whole purpose. But she would cook me a hamburger and frsh onions everytime I cleaned for her & always handed it to me on one of her special plates. Gawd almighty. Never eat anything that touched the bottom, thats all I am sayin'! But old ppl think when what they have is gone & used up there is no more...anywhere. LOL! Great story Pat. I was totally there with you, I could see it all. The ratty housecoats & all. Coffee cups on the end tables. Cold coffee in them. I saw it all. Even their shrivled up fingers tearing into the paper & twirling those damn cards around. That was great.
rox

Dirty Disher said...

Did you see the dozen suspisious cats hanging off the sofa and piano too?

Dirty Disher said...

shelly, dayum! 50 pound of candy?? Holy makeral.

Maureen said...

I love, love, love these batty old lady stories! Wish you could post one every day.

Dirty Disher said...

I COULD post one every day. They're just bat shit.

Anonymous said...

You have an amazing heart.

The stories about your mom and aunt crack me up.

Happy Yule!!

Heidi said...

Damn. Fitty pounds of candy? I would go into a diabetic coma but I sure would have a smile on my face!

Lauren said...

Gowd...DD. How can you stand it?

It's funny how the older generation makes "simple" things like gift cards ever so complicated.

I have an older mom who is afraid of computers. I just tell her it's a complicated toaster and that you tell it what to do. She does understand the concept of gift cards though. That's good because I got her two for Christmas.

Nadine said...

I had a shitty day today and your story made me grin from ear to ear, so thank you Pat.... you made my day.....
Happy Yule to you my friend.....

Anonymous said...

I have a great-aunt who is a total nitwit. That's exactly what we call her - a nitwit. I always imagine that in her own mind she lives in a Candyland-type world, with cotton candy clouds and gumdrop houses - that's how simple-minded this woman is. I honestly don't know how she lives day-to-day.

Christina said...

I always look forward to your stories about these two. I can just see your aunt tearing into her present, and how bewildered she was about the lemonade pouches. You just opened up a whole new world for her. ;)

Brig said...

Pat, thanks for the laugh, I needed it. I always love your stories. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All!

Casey J. said...

I can just see gma and aunt Ruth now! That is EXACTLY how they are.

Dirty Disher said...

Wait until you see what she got for you. Uh.

Unknown said...

omg space man drink and undercover food credit cards. LOL DD.. I swear the best humor comes from a odd family.

Reminds me of one year getting my hubs father a toy. Yes the man was 40 and collected toys. Well we got him this one gun/action figure action thing. Turned out that when you built the gun with the action figure. The bulets came out his butt. Everyone still talks about it.