A Piece of History
I remember the Christmas of 1989 very well. As an 8th grader, we had been studying the Berlin Wall and the collapse of government in Germany.
It was an interesting holiday within our family as well. Every year since I could remember, our grandmother had given all the grandchildren money. Never presents, just cash.
For some reason she was giddy with delight this Christmas day as she pointed out the rather large, shoe-box sized wrapped gifts in her living room. They were heavy to pick up, which left us all wondering. What could have caught our 70 year old grandmother’s attention at Wal-Mart this year?
When it came time we ripped through the paper to find large chunks of concrete. Oddly shaped rocks at that. I’m sure the look was a priceless moment for her as we wondered what the hell this was. We all had the same thought running through our minds, who spiked grandma’s eggnog?
She explained with delight that she bought us all a piece of history - The Berlin Wall! Apparently they were selling these chunks of time in a department store that holiday season.
It wasn’t until many weeks later, after we had each lugged the concrete home with lectures of being grateful for what we were given, that she cracked and let us all in on the fact that they were in fact pieces of her sidewalk behind the garage.
We received money every year after that, but she definitely proved her unpredictability and earned the title of best gift ever.
My name is Emily. I’m 30 years old. I have often been told that I ask a lot of questions, but I think I have more to say than ask.
You know, as soon as I read it was too heavy, I knew it was a prank. My grandmother actually got a piece of the wall as a gift, and would tell anyone who listened that it cost over $30… and it was less than 1 cubic inch in size.
That is hilarious.
Very funny story…too bad grandma cracked and revealed the truth. You could have given her sidewalk chunk a place of honor in your home. LOL
Lol. Good for her! I have a few people I know who should be getting rocks this year….
Yes, a glorified version of coal. Were you all especially naughty that year?
That is too funny!
That is awesome. Hooray for Grandmas!!
(Is that really it? The concrete from her sidewalk? Do you still have it?)
It was really the concrete from her sidewalk. My grandma was great like that. Totally when you didn’t expect her to do something…she’d do it.
I WISH I still had it! See, we keep crap like statues and knick-knacks and throw out the most meaningful trash, don’t we?
that is so, so cool.
You have a hilariously deviant Grandma!
Your grandma ROCKS! (giggling)