Last year it had been advertised that Boscov’s Department Store was coming to the Eastwood Mall in October of 2020. I was excited because I knew from shopping at the Boscov’s in Erie that they had a large petite section. Christopher and Banks and Pebbles, where I used to shop for petite sizes, had fallen victims to the pandemic,
When we neared the Christmas season, I put Boscov’s gift cards on my Christmas list for Donn, even though the opening of the store at Eastwood had been postponed due to Covid. Every year, sooner or later, Robb would ask Donn for suggestions from my list. I don’t remember if Robb and I talked about the new Boscov’s that was coming, but for whatever reason, he chose to give me three $25 Boscov’s gift cards for Christmas last year.
If the new department store had opened in October of 2020 or in the Spring of 2021 rather than in October of 2021, a year later than its original date, it’s likely those gifts cards would already have been spent before Robb passed away. However, as it was, they remained in my wallet unused.
A few weeks ago Donn took me to the Mall without our four-year-old granddaughter, Sarah, for the first time since Boscov’s opened, for the express purpose of using my gift cards. As I shopped, it occurred to me that three of the four gift cards were from Robb—the last gifts I would ever receive from my son. Fighting back tears, I suddenly found myself not nearly as eager to trade those cards for merchandise. Two of the cards remained in my wallet when I left the store.
Robb also often gave us gift cards to our favorite restaurants for Christmas or birthdays. Once when we used one of them months after he’d given it to us, I texted him a “Thanks for dinner” message. He replied, “I have no idea what you’re talking about but you’re welcome.”
Anyone who knew Robb, knew that when his sense of humor kicked in, he could be absolutely incorrigible. Last Christmas was one of those times. Joy, his twin sister’s daughter, received a very large gift-wrapped box from “Uncle Robbie” when our family celebrated Christmas. Inside was another package marked “To Uncle Robbie From Joy,” leaving us all mystified and laughing. Laughing even harder, Joy handed it to him and after thanking her profusely, Robb opened it, and pulled out a shirt with large lettering: Wurl’s Gratest Unkle. This brought even more laughter because, any of you who knew Robb, know what a stickler he was on grammar and spelling.
Joy went on to open another box, inside the bigger box from Robb, with a gift that I want desperately to tell you about, because it illustrated even more clearly that incorrigible aspect of his personality. Joy’s immediate response to the gift was, “Grandma, do not post this on Facebook!” so I will have to leave that to your imagination. (Come to think of it, she didn’t say anything about posting it on my Blog…) Robb also gave Joy the “gift card” below which I didn’t know about until she read it at his Celebration of Life service. Last Christmas was a Christmas we’ll never forget.
As I ponder my reluctance to spend my last two gift cards, I’m thankful for another gift Robb made for me, perhaps for Mother’s Day, that hangs in our dining room. The initials on the plaque are the first letters of our grandchildren’s names from oldest to youngest. He told me he hadn’t realized we had the “boy, girl, boy, girl…” thing going until he made this gift! Every time I look at it, I’m thankful for the reminder of his ability to give me a meaningful gift that I will treasure always.
