Creative Writing Class -Favorite Present

I cant think of one present that i can recall as being the best. I do remember one present that I really liked more than most. A Cinderella watch I got when I was 4 or 5. 1956 or 1957. My mothers youngest brother and his wife were home from Texas where he was stationed in the Army and she finished nursing school. I don't know if I had ever met them before , I am sure I had, but I didn't remember it. Their oldest daughter wasn't born until 1958, so i know they were childless at the time.
They were about 23 or 24, and seemed so strange to me. I remember I thought my aunt was a teenager, and had the most wonderful , really high curves in her feet. She wore these high spike heels which she kicked off and sat with her feet under her -on my Grandmother’s couch. My mother said she was family because she was her brothers wife, but I thought she must be a guest because NO ONE in the family was allowed to put there bare feet on the couch or sit on their feet.
Or maybe it was just family under six.
Anyway she smelled like perfume and was very gay and happy and everyone was happy because they were home and everyone was laughing. My Uncle brought his dog , a Great Dane, Sandy. The dog was as tall as my Uncle when it stood up and my Uncle was quite the tallest man I had ever seen. 6’4”. The only space the dog could lay down and still be in the room, with my Uncle, was in front of my Grandmothers baby grand piano. All the younger cousins would pet Sandy, But I was afraid. My Uncle would always talk quiet to me and hug me when i was close to him and so he bent down real close to me and took my hand and patted Sandy along with my hand. it was wonderful, scary and wonderful. I don't think I had ever touched such a large living thing before in my life.
Then it was time for presents they brought for the children. My two boy cousins and my brother and my girl cousin and me. It was close to my birthday so the grown ups said it was a birthday present for me. I wondered why the other kids got presents also. Then I opened the box and saw the Cinderella watch with the pink band. I loved it. My first watch. I had no idea how to tell time and my mother had been practicing with me -I now realized she must have suggested the gift.
I have no idea what the boys got -I am sure something from the PX exchange on base -my brother thinks it was a compass or a flashlight -something neat from Uncle. Our Connie, 2 years younger, didn't seem to appreciate the watch like I did. She was a spoiled only child that lived near my grandparents. We were all jealous of her that she could go to the Grandparents whenever she wanted. Connie decided she wanted Sandy the dog and we cousins were worried the grownups would give into her. But her mother said no. She was allergic to dogs and chocolate and anything else her mother didn't want her to have, or so it seemed to us kids. We were glad she didn't get Sandy. Now we all could love Sandy the dog when they visited. Connie grew up to be a wonderful, loving person and Mom. My brother still teases her about the chocolate.
I still have my Cinderella watch , now with a white band. It doesn't work, I don't think. I am getting rid of most of my stuff, downsizing. But I keep putting the watch to the back of my top drawer. I now realize the memories of that evening are just as precious as the watch. It makes me smile each time I see it.
I will have to ask Connie if she still has her Cinderella watch? But of course she does, no one in my family throws anything away!


I read this on the Avalon Library .org ipod writers site -you may be able to pull it up and listen to it -my computer will not make the link.

PS:
At the family reunion I asked Connie if she still had the watch -she didnt and barely remembers the watch or the occasion.. In fact when she read this story -she only wanted to know if she really was spoiled. I told her: not after her brother and sister were born. I love my family. I am so blessed.