My dad called me yesterday to have what started out as a casual conversation, he talked about what he and my mom had done on their day off, then he asked me if I could order him something he was having trouble finding (he doesn't trust my brother ordering things from him because in the past my brother will tell him one price and then tell him a larger price when the item actually comes in, therefor my dad pays him back more than my brother actually paid for the item), then the conversation moved on to how my parents had to go to big lots and find some toys for the kid that my brother was having trouble finding, my parents then met up with my brother, the kid, and The Bitch and my brother told him they would pay my parents back for the toys on his next check (I called bullshit and told dad that he just bought that kid all those toys for christmas and he will never see a dime for the toys), the conversation finally ended with my dad telling me how he gave my brother our christmas mailbox.
The story behind the Christmas mailbox is this: when my brother and I were old enough to start writing letters to Santa my dad made a Christmas themed mailbox for us to put our letters in. Our parents told us that when we put the letters in and put up the flag on the side of the mailbox Santas elves would come get the letter and take it back to the North Pole. The elves would leave a Christmas movie every year so we had something to help us get through till Christmas.
I loved the mailbox and thought it was truly magical and begged my parents to get it out and put it up so I could write my letter to Santa (I asked so much that my parents eventually told me elves didn't pick up letters to Santa until after Thanksgiving). My brother was enthusiastic for the magic of the mailbox for a couple of years, but I think he found out about the truth behind it a lot sooner than I did and eventually just wrote his letters to Santa because mom and dad encouraged him to. I have always thought there was magic in the world and was thoroughly convinced that the mailbox was magical. Even after I figured out that my parents were taking the letters I wrote to Santa each year just because it was so fun. In fact the first year I brought my husband home for Christmas (my boyfriend at the time) we both wrote letters to Santa asking that the other get whatever they most desired for Christmas.
Well a couple of years ago my parents stopped putting out the magic mailbox. I asked them if they were not going to set it up again if I could have it. The told me since it was my favorite holiday decoration and that my brother didn't have and interest in it that I could have it the next time they got it out.
This now leads to the last conversation I had with my dad in which he informed me that he gave the Christmas mailbox to my brother (the kid isn't even old enough to write yet!). I asked dad why he gave my brother the mailbox after he had promised he would give it to me. I was told it was because my brother had a kid. That's it? My fondest childhood memory from Christmas and its given away because he has a freaken child? It's not even his kid! Plus they still have to go to court to see if they can get permanent custody of the child back! I asked him if I had a kid would I get the mailbox? His answer: "Your never going to give us grandkids so what does it matter?" Am I being punished for not giving your grandchildren? WTF! It's not like I had ever told them once in my life time that I wanted kids, the opposite actually, any time someone asked me about wanting kids I told them I would never have them. I just don't have the temperament to raise children. Hell ten minutes with one of the little things and I want to run for my life.
I asked my dad if he could make a new one for my brother and kid, something specific for them. My dad said the magic would be lost if there were two of them. Are you kidding me? The mailbox isn't actually magic dad! The magic was from you and mom. Nothing I did or said changed his mind about giving my brother the mailbox. So my childhood memory is just going to have to stay a memory.
