The Pure, Unadulterated Gift

“It’s so cool, Dad gave me a Smartphone.” Melissa waved the prize object in the air.
  “What? A  Smartphone!” Her best friend, Jenny tried to snatch it from her. “That’s not even fair. Your birthday isn’t until March! Don’t you even have to pay it back?”
  “No, it’s a gift; a pure unadulterated gift!”
  “That’s not fair,” Jenny stormed. “My Dad would never give me a gift like that! And you say, it’s free, totally free?”
    “Well, not exactly. Dad kept harping on it being as valuable as a pearl of great price, and that I need to take great care of it, and all that. I told him I’d call it “The Pearl” to remind me.”
 “But you don’t have to pay a red penny? Not a single red penny?”
 “No, but I had to make a commitment. Y’know, like continue to keep my grades up, and,” Melissa looked a bit abashed, “And well, a few other things.”
“And you promised?”
“Oh, I promised, alright. It’s so cool. I got it just in time for our marvelous field trip. “

Field trip. Oh, right. The grade twelve students of their exclusive private school were going on a trip to Rome and a bicycling tour in the Alps. To say it would be the trip of a life time just didn’t describe it.

Jenny’s facial features relaxed. Maybe she didn’t own a Smartphone, but she did have her trusty old cell, AND her parents said she could go if she was able to pay them half in advance with her babysitting money. That shouldn’t be a problem.  She had been saving most of it up anyways.

The next few weeks went by in a whirlwind of activity which included going to their all girl’s school and part-time jobs, while trying to squeeze in getting shots, getting passports and visas, reading tour guides, and getting outfits suitable for the various places they would travel to.

See you soon!