When You're Right, You're Right

The nephew turned 18 last week. We figured we'd throw him a party, because that's the way we roll. He's a drummer, and in his world everything revolves around drums. He eats, sleeps, and breathes drum-related things. I had thought about getting him drum sticks as a gift, but Becky said he's pretty particular about the kind that he uses and I'd better ask him before I make a purchase that he wouldn't be thrilled with. So I did. There are about 5 words in the name, and a number thrown in for good measure, and I figured it was just going to be too difficult to find those because I didn't write it down and couldn't remember what they were called. So the drum sticks as a gift were scratched.

About a week after I asked what kind of drum sticks he used, the nephew came home from school one day grinning like the cat that swallowed the canary and said, "I know what you're getting me for a birthday gift." Since I got him a 16x20 canvas of him drumming in the field (one of his senior portraits), I knew for a fact that he'd never guess that. What teen boy would ever guess that he's getting a photo of himself as a gift? Especially one that thinks for sure he's getting drum sticks. So I grinned right back and said, "You couldn't guess your gift if I offered you $100." And then the grinning duel continued as he said, "It's drum sticks. Why else would you have asked what kind I use? I've been thinking for a week that it's a really random question to ask. It's too early for a Christmas gift, so you're getting me drum sticks for my birthday."

Note: he does not know me very well. AT ALL. I'm about half done Christmas shopping at this point. If I waited until after September to start, I'd feel all twitchy-like and probably break out in hives.

I have never seen anyone quite so determined that they were right, and I figured I'd just let him live in his delusional right-ness, so I just out-grinned the nephew and didn't say anything further. Except when he'd randomly bring up the fact, over the next few days, that he was getting drum sticks for his birthday, I'd calmly remind him that he wasn't. That just fed his belief that he was right, of course.

The husband said we should get him kids' First Act drum sticks because it would be funny to mess with him. And we'd Sharpie on them all the right words that he told me to get. Except Walmart didn't have First Act kids' drum sticks so we were brainstorming what else to get the nephew to prove to himself that he was really right after all.

That's when Becky said, "Those turkey drum sticks we saw in the refrigerated section would be hilarious." And she was right. They really would be. They were sold in a pair, and they were clearly labeled "drum sticks." Genius.

The night of the party, the nephew was all, "This gift is my drum sticks!" And he was right, just as he knew he'd be.