January 4, 2018  - Gloves  - 25 years later

         Well into my career, I was working for a prestigious law firm in Spartanburg, South Carolina.  I had a great boss.  He was the type I could anticipate what he wanted and I’d jumped in and do it before he asked. He'd often say,

“Thank you” or “Well done.”

I rank him in the top five bosses I’ve ever had. So, when it came to Christmas time, I was looking forward to what I might receive from my Boss at Christmas. Even though I was new to the firm – 6 months or so – I was told by the other office gals my Boss was a swell gift giver.

The morning before the Christmas holiday, I found a beautifully wrapped package on my desk.  The tag had his familiar handwriting and read,

“from TAP.”

Any note or direction, he used only his initials.  It was his stylish way.  I chuckled to myself, all alone in my office.  It sure looked like a glove box, as I had received many over the years as office Christmas gifts.  But, this one was different.  The ribbon was stamped “Saks Fifth Avenue” which piqued my curiosity. In my mind, I knew it would be gloves as I hefted the box and shook it.  I got down to the business of opening it when two other office gals came to my office and said,

“Open it, let’s see . . . .”

I had actually thought of not opening it at the office and taking it home so that my expected disappointment wouldn’t show.

I acquiesced and braced myself with my  ‘canned smile’ and slowly opened the package.  Pulling off the cover of the box, I broke the “gold paper seal” holding the tissue paper in place and folded it back.  Before me were black cashmere gloves that would even cover your forearm about eight inches. I checked the label in side,  100% cashmere.  I immediately tried them on and smiled.  What a nice surprise - soft, elegant, rich, stylish.  The rest of the morning I was visited by most of the gals in the office and many of them tried them on and,  “oohed and aaahed” over them.

Later in the day, TAP, brought work to my office and I thanked him.

“I wasn’t sure, I don’t know you well enough . . . but I had my daughter pick them out . . .”

“They are lovely, thank you, thank you very much.” I replied.

When I got home I immediately called my Mom and said,

“Guess what I got for Christmas from the boss?”

Her immediate answer was,

“Gloves?”

“Yes, but this time, really nice ones from Saks Fifth Avenue, black cashmere, long ones, half way to the elbow.”

We laughed together on the phone.  Finally, our private joke had a good ending. The curse of the hideous gifted glove had ended.