TP Surprise

We received one of those peach colored notices from the USPS on Saturday telling us we had an insured package waiting for us at the post office. John and I had no idea who would be sending us an insured package. So, full of excitement, curiosity and paranoid thoughts about the unabomber going through my mind, I made a trip to the post office to retrieve it.

I mean... we NEVER get packages.
It was exciting!

I stood in a long line with a dutiful grip on my little peach slip until finally it was my turn at the window. Containing myself was a challenge as I waited for the USPS attendant to go into the back to retrieve it.

"WHAT IS IT?! WHO SENT IT?!" I wanted to scream. (But I didn't... althought that would have been funny in a psyco kind of way.)

Finally, she made her way back to the counter with a brown package the size of a shoe box. There wasn't one inch that wasn't covered in clear packing tape. I knew whatever was inside was pretty precious to warrant such an indestructo method of sealing the goods.

I filled out the required information and threw handed her the little peach slip. As she picked it up, I strained to see the return address.

Tabor, SD was all I could see... but that is all I needed to see. I knew it was from one of our favorite people in the whole world... Ronnie!

The attendant smiled as I snatched accepted the package she was slowly pushing across the counter. In my mind I was trying to think of all the things he could be sending... homemade salsa? authentic Italian red sauce? music of some kind? WHAT?!

I was stumped. Then, I was even more stumped when I picked up the box. It was so light (definitely not salsa or red sauce... drat!).

Believe it or not, I didn't open it right there. Eventhough my skin was jumping with curiousity, I actually contained myself long enough to get home. It was important that John and I open it together since it was for both of us AND from Ronnie.

The five minute trip seemed like an eternity. When I arrived, John and I immediately began working on the industrial strength packaging. Once the outer seal was compromised, we tore it open to discover a Maurice's shoe box and another layer of packing tape.

Finally, we were able to lift the lid to discover the prize.

Inside we found a letter neatly laid atop five rolls of toilet paper.

Yes.

You read correctly: toilet paper.

(How did he know we were out?!)

It was a thank you from our friend for his extended stay with us in Nashville a while back. Don't want to get too much into the personal details, but the letter was hilarious... basically saying he wanted to give us a little something in appreciation for his time in Nashvegas (about four months)... etc and so on.

What a hoot!

TP... of course.

Then, as we looked closer at the toilet paper... JTC said, "Hey... there's money in here."

Sure enough, several bills were wound one-by-one neatly inside of each of the cardboard rolls. There was also a little message written in the form of a quote bubble coming out of the mouth of each bill's "president":
"Spend me."
"Yo - what up?"

You get the picture.

Ronnie knew that if he gave us a check, we wouldn't cash it. We didn't want no stinking money! Having him here was our payment... in fact, we want him to come back.

So, desperate times called for desperate measures. Being the problem solving kind of guy he is, he devised a plan. A shoe box and five rolls of TP later, it all came together.

It is definitely the most thoughtful, creative thank you we'll probably ever get.

So, Ronnie, if you're reading this... THANK YOU.
We'll figure out how to "re-pay" you somehow.
*wink*
(We love you man.)