The PACKAGE

You see it all the time in the movies, guys huddled around an olive drab army jeep, bombs exploding in the distance as they hope to hear their name called making them one of the lucky few to get that cherished "letter from home." The movies tapped into the simplest human emotion, the desire to be connected. Well Team Glavin received its first "care package from the USA." The UPS brown truck, universal in color and efficiency, dropped a box. Actually he didn't have a key so he called the landlord on the cell phone and delivered it to John the landlord's house. John rang the bell to our apt, yelled "halo" and naturally I thought he wanted to collect the rent a week early. I was thinking"he'll just have to come back later because we didn't get to the bank yet."

You could barely see him as the large brown corrugated box was hiding most of John's body and head. He is a slight man, you know the kind, one who eats fish and salads his whole life. Did I mention he is a Dr.? He is excited to announce "Peekage for you." I suspect that he wants to hang around and see what emerges from the cellophane wrapped, Christmas in September box, but this is a family moment and John kindly excuses himself. He'll be back soon, the rent is due.

The label reads Sender: Total Scope, Inc. and the To: Maurice and Ann Glavin and Family, Wien Austria, Reference: stuff. There is a buzz in the room, anticipation is high. The kids are participating in the centuries old tradition "What could it be?" There's so much cellophane tape that we use the leatherman's "saw blade" because the knife "won't cut it", literally. Sensing an opportunity to prolong things, every dad's prerogative, I slowly open the box ever so slightly and peer in as if to protect the kids from any unknown harm that might be contained inside Pandora's box. The boys are coming unglued "C'mon dad open it already." I pull out the first thing and award a prize to mom "Dan Brown's new book The Symbol" She is elated and the kids have that look "are you kidding me, a book?" 6000 miles of travel and the first thing that emerges from the box from the United States is a book. Mom is elated and the kids, not so excited, Eamon says "If this is this all school stuff, I'm going to kill someone!" Like a magician sensing a crowd change I need to act fast, I throw Eamon multiple bags of Herr's Barbecue potato chips, there are so many he can't catch them all and yellow foil bags drop to the floor. He yelps with glee and I wonder to myself "Would chips work for Christmas?" The fun continues: 2 seasons of the TV series 24. Jack Bauer will be the nightly entertainment until at least November when we depart for Spain. Pearse is elated to get American M&M's because as he says"The European M&M's just aren't the same." Seamus looks longingly hoping for something, anything and his prayers are answered as the word TASTYKAKE jumps off the familiar blue and white cellophane wrapper as if in 3D and he's the only one wearing those special glasses. He's whooping and hollering and runs to turn on the kettle. Dad gets 2 boxes of Lipton decaffeinated tea bags. It is perfect timing because I just started to reuse my tea bags as the concept of "decaffeinated" hasn't hit the European continent yet. The silence is deafening as each boy chows down on his American treats.

UPS package to Austria Cost: $37.00, Total Scope wages to box and ship the package: $180.00,
3 elated kids and a happy wife PRICELESS