With Great Gifts Comes Great Responsibility

A few weeks ago The Hubs went to visit my brother, Ben, and his wife Sara.  It was just the three of them and they had a lovely little chat wherein Hubs spilled his guts and they gave him a nice gift to aid in his emotional healing.

I won't go into the details here, but for the sake of the story you need to know that the gift was some money to spend on iTunes.

Hubs was overwhelmed and touched by their generosity.  Once he came to grips with accepting their kindness he got to work making a wish list, playing songs, and making purchases. 

I was home during this shopping spree of happiness and our conversation went something like this.

Me: That was so nice of Ben and Sara!
Hubs:  No kidding.  Way nice.  I'm excited to get some of the songs off my wish list.
M: Just don't buy any Elvis.
H:  But I like Elvis.
M:  Elvis's music is okay, but his voice stinks.  He sounds like he's having a seizure when he sings.  I bet after each performance he'd go back stage and laugh at all those poor screaming fools who liked to hear him sing.
H:  You have to admit that (insert song name here) is a great song.
M:  Sure.  When someone else sings it.  I'm a huge fan of Elvis songs remade.
H:  Whatever.

Then there was some clicking and more song playing and more giddy purchases being made.  I was reading a romance novel.  In my novels the hero never listens to Elvis.

Flash forward two hours - and some sweet romantic scenes - and Hubs calls me over to the computer to play me his list of purchases. 

Things were going along fine until I heard something sounding like a cheesy ho-down, honkey tonk ooze fest.

Me:  What is THAT?
Hubs: What, this song?  Isn't it great.  (Starts singing along).
M:  Okay, really, what IS that song?
H:  (He just smiles at me)
M:  (Leaning forward to read the name of the song off the playlist) Hand Me Down That Can 'O Beans?
H:  Ya!  From Paint Your Wagon!!  (He's thrilled and smiling as he sings along).
M:  I'm telling Ben you wasted his money.
H: (Stops singing)  I didn't waste his money!
M:  Ya, you did.  Ben would never condone the use of his money to purchase a song from Paint Your Wagon.

People, I would typically say that when someone gives you a gift card or money that they have no say in how you spend it.  It's a gift.  You are free to use said money in the manner you see fit that will bring you happiness.

But, in this case, when your dying bro-in-law gives you an iTunes gift card you DO NOT insult the giver by purchasing music from Paint Your Wagon.  You don't want him to have regrets at this point in the game.  You want him to be able to rest in peace.  And he won't be able to do that if he knows that 89 cents of his money was wasted on a song about beans!

With great gifts comes great responsibility.

Oh, Hubs, maybe you should have bought some Elvis.