best gift ever

So Kevin's birthday is coming up on the 17th. I had an idea of what I wanted to get for him, but I needed help. Today the throng of us went to SE Hawthorne and met up at the store I work at (the five of them: Kev, Catherine, Mamasita, Daddy Walter and Reggie took the car while I biked). Earlier I'd enlisted the help of Daddy Walter. HE would be the only person for this particular job.

We were all standing around the store, a few of them were trying on clogs and asking me questions. They all continued chatting, looking and trying. I looked across as Walter, this was our time. I told the gang that Walter and I had something to do, but we'd be back shortly.

Kev and Reggie went to the CD Game Exchange to look around at what they had to offer (not much of anything because both were empty handed when they came back to the store).

Catherine and Mamasita had walked up the road a bit to a resale shop (nothing appealed to them, either).

Walter and I went into the destination, looked at many beautiful things, picked out exactly the right one and hightailed it back to my work. I called the boys and the girls under the guise that we'd needed to meet up for lunch.

Sitting behind me was the first part of Kev's gift. A stand. Something that would be an important part of the real gift, which was hiding behind the counter...

The look on his face was perfect. He instantly started playing a little in the store and beamed.

Needless to say, I feel as though this is the best possible gift for me to give to him. The gift of music. The gift of creativity. The gift of that smile.

It sounds amazing, even though he's "not that good" according to him. He's taught himself. He can play recognizable tunes. He is better than he knows...