MY 3 BROTHERS AND I HAD ALL LEFT HOME EARLY IN OUR LIVES, AND AFTER COLLEGE GONE INTO OUR RESPECTIVE CAREERS. OUR FATHER, ALTHOUGH HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL, HAD DIED EARLY IN HIS MIDLIFE LEAVING OUR MOTHER ALONELIVING IN ANOTHER CITY. DUE TO OUR BUSY SCHEDULES, COMPETITIVE EGOS, AND SPOUSAL CONCERNS, WE SELDOM GOT A CHANCE TO ALL BE TOGETHER. IT HAD BEEN 17 YEARS SINCE OUR LAST REUNION, AND WE WERE CELEBRATING AT A RESTAURANT. IT WAS JUST US, HER CHILDREN, WHEN THE TOPIC GOT AROUND TO WHAT WE HAD GIVEN OUR MOTHER FOR HER LAST 90th BIRTHDAY.

MY OLDEST BROTHER, CHARLIE, SAID, I STARTED 3 YEARS AGO, BOUGHT BOTH THE NEIGHBORS HOUSES ACROSS THE STREET, HAD THEM TORN DOWN, AND HAD A BIG, GRAND HOUSE BUILT FOR HER! THE NEXT OLDEST, CLAY, FOLLOWED AND SAID I KNEW YOU WERE DOING THAT BECAUSE OF MY FRIENDS DOWN AT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, SO AS IT WAS BEING BUILT, I HAD A 150, 000.00 THEATRE BUILT INTO THE HOUSE! I BIT MY TONGUE FOR A WHILE, AND SURE ENOUGH MY YOUNGER BROTHER, CRAIG SPOKE UP. HE SAID WELL I HAD A MERCEDES DEALER DELIVER A BRAND NEW SL600 IN RED, HER FAVORITE COLOR! KNOWING IT WAS MY TURN I LOOKED AROUND THE TABLE, AND FIGURED IN SPITE OF THEIR OPPOSITION TO RELIGION, ID GO AHEAD AND TELL THEM WHAT I GOT HER. SO I SAID YOU KNOW HOW MOM LOVED READING THE BIBLE, AND YOU KNOW SHE CANT HARDLY READ ANYMORE BECAUSE OF HER BAD EYES.

I MET THIS PREACHER AWHILE BACK WHO HAD TOLD ME ABOUT A PARROT THAT COULD RECITE THE ENTIRE BIBLE. IT TOOK 22 PREACHERS 9 YEARS TO TEACH HIM. IT TOOK ME SEVERAL MONTHS OF ASKING, HOUNDING, AND MULTIPLE OFFERS, BUT WITH A PLEDGE TO CONTRIBUTE 100, 000.

00 A YEAR FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO THE CHURCH, THE PREACHER FINALLY AGREED TO SELL ME THE PARROT. ALL MOM HAS TO DO IS NAME THE CHAPTER AND VERSE AND THE PARROT WILL RECITE IT. AT THIS POINT MY SISTER WHO IT SEEMED HAD BEEN SMIRKING THRU THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION BUSTED OUT IN LAUGHTER. SHE LAUGHED UNTIL TEARS FILLED HER EYES, COUGHING AND SPUTTERING, SHE REACHED IN HER PURSE, PULLED OUT A LETTER OUR MOTHER HAD SENT TO HER. AFTER SHE REGAINED ENOUGH COMPOSURE TO READ IT SHE STARTED I LOVE ALL YOU KIDS SO MUCH, THE BIRTHDAY PRESENTS WERE JUST TOO MUCH! CHARLIE BUILT ME A HUGE HOUSE.

I ONLY LIVE IN ONE ROOM, BUT I HAVE TO CLEAN THE WHOLE HOUSE. I THANK HIM ANYWAY. CLAY GAVE ME AN EXPENSIVE THEATER WITH DOLBY SOUND, IT COULD HOLD 50 PEOPLE, BUT ALL MY FRIENDS ARE DEAD, IVE LOST MY HEARING AND IM NEARLY BLIND.

ILL NEVER USE IT. I THANK HIM FOR THE GESTURE JUST THE SAME. CRAIG GOT ME A NICE CAR.

I AM TOO OLD TO TRAVEL, I STAY HOME AND HAVE MY GROCERIES DELIVERED, SO IVE NEVER EVEN DRIVEN THE MERCEDES. ILL NEVER USE IT.

THE THOUGHT WAS GOOD AND I THANK HIM. C.J. WAS SO THOUGHTFUL HE WAS THE ONLY SON TO HAVE THE GOOD SENSE TO GIVE ME A GIFT I COULD USE. I CANT WAIT TO TELL HIM THANK YOU. THAT CHICKEN WAS THE BEST TASTING BIRD THAT I HAVE HAD IN YEARS, IT WAS DELICIOUS!