“What would you like for your birthday, honey?”
“Nothing.”
It took me decades to comprehensively understand her answer.
“Get off your butt, use your imagination, innovate, and window shop until you find a gift, an awe-inspiring and unusual gift, to surprise and delight me.”
This is the meaning of “nothing.”
Barry O’Farrell is an actor living in Brisbane, Australia. Barry’s stories may also be found in Cyclamens & Swords, A Story In 100 Words, and of course here at 50-Word Stories.
Decades? After being married to the same woman for forty-five years, deciphering “nothing” happened immediately after the first anniversary. Then, I struggle with decoding “nothing special”. Rest assured, my friend, more mystery looms behind “nothing” and “nothing special”. My grandfather warned me about “just you”. He was married sixty-six years.
—- 50 words
Thanks for the cautionary advice.