Unconventional toy

It just didn’t make sense anymore, trying to surprise kids with gifts. The way Bill saw it, kids know what they want, and whats more they know how to tell you what they want. For better or worse they knew the name of the toy, where to find it, and in most cases they knew how much it cost.

They knew everything, except of course the value of the money they eagerly wanted you to spend. Bill would have shook his head as he entered the toy store with his granddaughter, but he was getting too old to show much emotion these days. He let his eyes do his talking. Disappointment was spread all over his eyes. He loved his granddaughter, that went without saying. He was happy to be her grandfather, he relished the position, but why where kids so damn materialistic?

Bill's son hadn't been like that. But then that had been a different generation. Different times. The economy was in a mess, and people understood you just couldn’t buy everything under the sun. Now a days people are actually trying to buy the sun.

“Over here grandad, its over here.” the little girl tugged at Bill's arm Bill snapped out of his mental rantings. His eyes betrayed his confusion, as he was being lead over to the sports section of the store. He looked in vain over to the girl section of the store, he could see the barbies just vaguely. Oh goodness he thought to himself quickly. She wants me to buy her a bike. He thought of his granddaughter riding down the street in a small pink and white bike with the pink frilly ribbons coming out the handle. Yes, she would be cute no doubt, but how much would it cost him. He silently cursed consumerism.

“I want this!” she pointed to a skateboard high above her head. This time Bills confusion shown on his face. A skateboard, what is an eight year old girl going to do with a skateboard?

“You know we are getting gifts for you, sweet pea, your brother has already picked out gifts for himself.”

The little girl laughed. “I know granpa.” she playfully nudged into him. “I want the skateboard for myself. Bill looked around to see if anyone else was seeing what he saw. A girl, a little girl at that, wanting a skateboard. Why those are the things the teenage punks ride on as they destroy property and spray paint objectionable things on public property. He closed his eyes for a brief moment as he visualized his daughter riding a skateboard and vandalizing property. Come to think of it, has he ever seen a girl skateboarding?

“Its so cool.” the little girl added, clearly lost in her own imagination.

“Well sweetpea, what about the dolls and...” Bill started

“I dont want any dolls, I dont like dolls. I like this. Please Granpa, you said I could pick out anything I wanted. And I want this skateboard.” Bill was upset, but anyone looking at him would never know it. What kind of girl is his son raising. It must be that women, it has to be. He told his son not to...

“Will you get it for me granpa?” She reached up for the toy.