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For Christmas and our one year anniversary, Ryan bought me a very nice shoulder bag to take to work. Before that I'd told him I felt like a frumpy college student, lugging my thin duffel bag around. He said he took his time searching for the right one, and his choice was made by the fact that this one "Opens like an old-fashioned doctor's bag." Inside the bag was a battery-operated speaker system for my iPod. He said now I could listen to my music at work. He'd remembered that I'd mentioned I had no radio and did all of my editing, programming, and office work in a boring silence. So far, the gifts were very thoughtful and I was beaming. I hadn't asked him for any of these things and he got them for me anyway, knowing that I could certainly use them. All I'd asked for was a romantic evening and some jewelry. He told me the evening is still happening in the near future and that he's currently reading the cookbook I got him for dinner ideas. I then peered inside the bag and found the third gift: a set of three pairs of very nice earrings. Less than an hour later, we were at the store returning the earrings. The woman helping us asked Ryan, "Didn't she like them?" "Oh no, they're very lovely," I said, "but I don't have my ears pierced, so I can't wear them." "Oh we can do that for you here!" "No thanks, I actually have a phobia about getting my ears pierced. Long story that dates back from childhood." The woman looked at me and paused for a moment. I'm sure she was glancing at my ears to validate my statement. She then turned to Ryan again. "How long have you two been together?" "One year to the day," I replied with a tight-lipped smile. The woman at the counter and her two associates began to snicker. One of them burst into full-out laughter. Ryan turned a bright shade of crimson and said "Be quiet! I hate all of you." The woman tried to suppress her giggles. "Would you like store credit?" After getting the receipt, Ryan walked me over to the jewelry counter and told me to pick out something I wanted. My eyes instantly fixated on a necklace with an aquamarine teardrop pendant. It was small and simple and modest-looking, but well over what Ryan had paid for the earrings. Still, he insisted I get it... probably because he felt like an ass for forgetting that his girlfriend doesn't have pierced ears and for being ridiculed by the customer service ladies. I happily left the store with a beautiful necklace and Ryan treated me to lunch. He told me, "I hadn't initially expected to pay as much as I did for your gift, but you're worth it. I could tell you really liked it. And buying you lunch is the least I could do for not remembering about your ears." I chose not to rub it in. "I'm over it. But let this be a lesson to you," I said coyly. "Maybe you'll remember this day and be a little more observant now." And save some money in the process.
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