The Gift

This is the corridor to my in-laws home. Three garages make up the ground level, the basement, workshop, coal storage and access to the wonderful backyard are below the garages. The top floor is where we live. Do you see the blue canary on the right? I remember when Miguel , myself and his sister went to the flea market in Gijon. We debated if a bird would make a good gift or not and apparently we decided it would. Mari (my momma in law) was delighted. Luis (my papa in law) started grumbling instantly about having to clean bird shit from the walls. It was about two days later that the entire family went out together (I cant remember where) we arrived home to find the family dog, Perla waiting by the door looking so very guilty. Walking through the beaded curtains I guess it was really no surprise to discover the blue canary dead as hell on the floor of the kitchen. I felt so bad for my mother in law, she really loved that bird.... Mari reached down picked up the poor little thing , shrugged her shoulders and tossed it over her shoulder into the backyard. She didn't even look back as she went in to wash up and prepare dinner. I guess it was at that point that it dawned on both Miguel and I that Mari was not really as delighted as we wanted to think she was with our gift. Moral of this story...... animals do not make great gifts. Second moral of this story.... mothers will pretend to absolutely love anything their kids bring them home!