A Twelve-Year-Old's Decision

I was standing in line at the lighting store behind a white-haired gentleman who was waiting for a cord replacement on his lamp.

"How long you been down here?" the salesman said, cutting off the old lamp cord.

"Thirty years in Florida," the gentleman said.  "And every day's a gift."

"Every day we wake up is a gift!" said the salesman.

"Speaking of gifts, I'm old enough to remember when there was one gift under the Christmas tree for each of us.  It was right after the Depression, and we were happy to get it, believe me!

"I still remember when I was twelve years old - the best Christmas of my life. My parents gave me the choice - either a new bike or a puppy.  I chose the bike.

"I got a shiny red Schwinn with a banana seat, a big bulb horn, and balloon tires.  I was THE MAN!

"I'd hop on that bike and honk that bulb every time I reached a buddy's house.  We went 'cross town in a pack, with me out front.  Nobody had a bike like mine, and they were all jealous.  Heck, we didn't come home till supper.  Best decision I ever made, except for marrying my wife.

"Course, after I had a family, my wife wanted pets for the kids.  We ended up with two dogs and three cats and nobody took care of them but me.

"Should have given the kids bikes!"