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A Guy’s Guide to Christmas shopping

Randy Wyrick
Randy "Rand the man Unusual" Wyrick
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Ever since Adam gave Eve a tasteful fruit basket, guys have been foggier about gift-giving for girls than Bill Clinton with ethics questions.

Listen up, guys and repeat after me: “I will not buy my Wife And/Or Reason for Living a Pocket Fisherman for Christmas. Instead, I will purchase some tasteful jewelry that costs more than the average annual salary in Arkansas.”

In an annual ritual as certain as tent revivals and Opening Day, every year you see legions of guys wandering deperately from store to store during late December. In these guys’ eyes you see that



Bambi-on-the-center-line-staring-down-an-oncoming-Peterbilt look.

They know that if they don’t come up with some heart-felt token of their undying love and devotion for their Reason for Living, and do it right now, their lives are going to be pure purgatory until Arbor Day rolls around and they can plant a tree in her honor ” one that best typifies her attitude toward him ” the Flowering Crab.

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Researchers have discovered that some males are stricken with a malady called “testosterone poisoning,” which precludes them from buying a gift that doesn’t smell like diesel fuel. For guys who find themselves under this spell, we suggest that you practice buying Christmas gifts for when you’ll need them ” which is now.

We should be eternally thankful we’re not King Solomon. It seems that Solomon, reputedly the wisest man who ever lived, had something like 786 wives, which, any woman will tell you, was the true source of his wisdom. But then, women will also tell you stuff like the real reason that the Children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years is because Moses refused to stop and ask directions.

If you’ve paid any attention at all, and if you’re a guy we know you haven’t, you know there are only two ways of dealing with women:

1. Let them think they’re having their way, and,

2. Let them have it.

But, you ask yourself, “What does a woman want?” It’s a question with which even Shakespeare struggled. And Shakespeare was so sensitive he wore frilly shirts and tights. If couldn’t figure it out, what chance do we have?

There is a biblical principle at work here: “You have not because you ask not.” If you want to know EXACTLY what she wants for Christmas, or any other day including Groundhog Day, you ask her.

This isn’t as tough as fixing your transmission, but, like the Electoral College, there are some steps you must take. They go like this:

1. Ask her what she wants, write down what she tells you and stick it in your wallet.

2. Save up some money.

3. Go downtown, see the man who has what she wants.

4. Give him your money.

5. Ask him to wrap it up, take it home and put it under the Christmas tree.

Results: Your Reason for Living is happy because she has what she wants. The man is happy because he has all your money. You’re happy because they’re both happy. Everyone is happy. Happiness is a good thing.

You can actually do most of this online, during halftime of the football game. This will proove how sensitive you are; you’ve bounced your bohiney out of the Barcalounger instead of sitting there waiting for a Janet Jackson reprise.

And above all, don’t ask any of your panic-stricken Bambi-in-headlights buddies what they’re doing.

They’re guys, when it comes to romance they don’t know what they’re doing either.

They’d rather watch “Dumb and Dumber” than “Sense and Sensibility.”

P.S. Gift-buying for guys is elementary. We’ll take ours medium-rare with lots of mushroom gravy.

Randy Wyrick has not yet begun his Christmas shopping. Send suggestions to rwyrick@vaildaily.com.

Vail Daily, Vail, Colorado CO


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