Mr. Saver

This is Stephen all ready for his senior year. He’s decked out in his new threads posing next to his truck.

The other night at work he ripped his favorite jeans. He came home from work and insistently proclaimed I must take him shopping immediately because “Dad said so.” [Dad is at work and couldn’t.] I looked at him and told him that I will give him $50 to go buy his own clothes that he doesn’t need his mother any more to shop for clothes. Besides, I didn’t want to go out into the crowds for it was the last day of the “No Sales Tax” sales weekend. [Annually in Texas the state waive the sales tax for back to school items.] I told him to find one good pair of jeans and if he would be a thrifty shopper he might be able to find two good pair of jeans on sale. He was to reconcile every cent to me with the receipt and change.

He immediately called his friend and hopped in his truck to go shopping. A short one hour later he returns home. He brings to me $3.06. I asked to see what he purchased. He goes and grabs a big bag and dumps it on my bed. He showed me two pairs of jeans [without holes!], and five nice shirts [4 of them with collars!]. I was in shock and asked if he brought home a respirator. [okay, this is author embellishment, but that’s how I felt.]

He immediately boasted and he’s right, he did a better job than I would have. What really gets me is I didn’t teach him how to shop like this. I don’t know how. I just don’t have the patience for it. I’d rather pay high price than to fight the sales crowd, wait in long lines, sort through piles of man-handled clothing. I confessed to him that he can teach me something.

Then tonight I had to bribe him to let me take the picture. He has a flat on his ride and asked to use mine to go to Wendy’s. initially I said no. But when I asked him if I could take his picture, he said, “Only if you let me take your car to go get a burger and give the left over money [from last night] to buy it.”

“Deal,” I said, “But I get to put it on my blog.”

He ran out the door and I followed him with the camera.

When he returned home, he told me that his friend was working and he sat and ate with him. By doing so, he got the Baconator and a float for less than $4. He said, “You can call me Mr. Saver.”

So this is my son, Mr. Saver.

Proverbs 14:18
The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.