Chapter 47 – GIFT!
Even the most detached person, the kind who rallies against “dialectical materialism” during innocent strolls along the mall's alleys, even this bland type of person likes to be given a gift. Keep in mind that a gift is always a way of saying, “See? I remembered you!”, which pleases and makes people happy.
It's not expensive! In fact, it is very expensive to miss opportunities for a sincere caressing of people close to us, failing to offer them a gift, however simple it may be! It is known that enjoying being presented is one of the characteristics that spread through humanity, with the usual exceptions, the infamous exception to the rule. Even if the gift is not something of value close to those that only the genie in the lamp can offer, the act of remembrance is what makes a deep impression on the gifted person's feelings - and that's all the difference! In these frantic times of zillions of bytes, when it is not uncommon to forget the birthday or a bureaucratic “Happy This and That!”
And don't appeal to virtual gifts, those that exist by the terabytes on social networks and Internet applications. Good gift is not high value gift nor the gift that laziness makes to reap in the indifferent anonymity of what the virtual world suggests. A good gift is one that the recipient knows has been noticed and remembered in a unique way, as it is really personalized by the person offering the treat!
My friend Antonio Celso, more intelligent and affable impossible, always kept an eye on promotions from Lojas Americanas, notably in their CD's and DVD's sessions. He really took advantage of it: he bought by the dozen for a very appetizing price, if normal market values ​​were taken into account. He bought in a very eclectic way, not necessarily because of his taste, and he kept those purchases in plastic boxes in his “little junk room”.
Every now and then, when setting up a meeting with friends and heading to the usual parties, Tonho would go there with some gifts to offer to people and it was not known who was happier: the person receiving it or himself offering it! What was very clear was the friendly and considerate image he conveyed to all those whom he bestowed with his cheap little gifts!
