Graduation Gift

I was one of four children growing up.  When the oldest of my two brothers was nearing graduation my mom asked what he would like.  He said an Izod quilt.  This was back in 1983 and Izod was a big deal in high school, along with Sperry Top Siders and Levis Straight Leg 501 jeans.  Izod was the 'it' clothing item when we were in high school.  At one point three of us were in high school at once.  Rough time for mom.

So she made a quilt.  Appliquing hand made alligators.  We all thought it was pretty cool.  My brah wanted a thick batting which was a pain to work with.  I don't even know if they make that stuff any longer.  So the project started, then sat.  And sat.  And sat.  For 28 years.

So my brah is a bit of a teaser.  And when the opportunity arose he would kid my mom, "... yeah, and when am I gonna get my graduation gift?'  Versions of this went on for years.  Zingers, but always with a smile.

When we surprized my mom on her birthday this year, it came up again.  So she and I conspired to finish the quilt.  Living life with no regrets.  It had been moved a gazillion times and at one point it was damaged by water (life can be complicated sometimes).  It had mildewed beyond salvage.  All that work - gone.  The plan was that Mom would remake the top and I would quilt it.  It wouldn't seem like such a large undertaking that way.

We had the perfect venue to give him the quilt.  In June we were all planning to get together to celebrate milestone wedding anniversaries, a graduation, fathers day, and some birthdays.  Big doings.  The entire family.

Mom remade the quilt top, and I made the back and quilting.  Lots of mailing back and forth, photos, and emails to work out the details.  Then Mom made a pillow of the left over scraps.  My brah birthday was in April and she had promised him a present which she had not yet delivered.

So the big day arrives.  Mom gives him the pillow.  It was super cute.  And almost on cue he starts to raz her about the quilt.  She askes him if he even remembers what it looks like.  He says no.  She goes back to the house and brings out a brown paper grocery bag.  She hands it to him.  He opens it.  And for a brief moment... before the teasing begins again... he's quiet.  We got him! 

It was a hot, muggy day in the mid-west.  The kind of stickiness that happens before it rains.  He wiped his eyes.  It was hot and  very sticky.  I wiped mine too.

P.S.  On the drive home, his youngest daughter borrowed the quilt.  He has not been able to get it back.  Each day he askes, "Dani, can I have my quilt back?"  Each day she has replied, "Tomorrow daddy."