Jack and the $$$ Easter Egg

Easter is time for family and friends to create memories.  My favorite Easter Memory of recent years is of Jack and the Easter Egg Hunt.    We had an annual barbeque and Easter egg hunt every year and, on this particular occasion we had about 20 or so people at the house that afternoon.  My ex-wife, Cassandra, had purchased a ton of Ribeye steaks and we had various side dishes to complement them.  We started a tradition of hiding various amounts of money in the plastic eggs that I secreted.  This always made it worth while for the kids who were too old to enjoy hunting eggs just for the joy of hunting eggs!  Money is an attitude changer! 

We were prepping for the Easter egg hunt and around noon I saw Jack Sherry, the Metaline Falls Port of Entry Director pull up.  Obviously he observed all of the vehicles at my house and pulled in.  This was more or less usual for Jack and didn’t surprise me or my spouse. 

Well, as Jack is my ex-wife’s boss we asked him to stay for the barbeque and for our Easter egg hunt.  Jack made himself at home and soon I found him reclined in the recliner that my ex-spouse had bought for me the previous Christmas.  No big deal except Jack fails to bathe regularly and his hair often seems full of bear grease.

We prepared for the Easter Egg hunt.  I had hidden a few dozen eggs in the new growth forest behind our house.  Some of the eggs were of the plastic persuasion and within these I placed various amounts of money including one egg with $20 and several with smaller amounts.  This was a yearly tradition at our Easter egg hunt and the money was a bit of a bribe for our older kids to come visit us on Easter. 

Soon I had everything prepared.  We had over a dozen kids of various ages ready for the hunt.  I had forgotten the camera so I returned to the house to retrieve it.  Once inside, I discovered Jack still in my recliner but now asleep and snoring.  He was the only one in the house. 

I called to him, “Jack, let’s go outside.  The Easter egg hunt is going to start in just a few minutes!”  Jack awoke and dutifully followed me outside.

Soon we were ready.  Everyone was lined up and excited for the hunt whether they were 5 or 15 years old.  The very young had their private hunt first looking for traditional boiled and colored eggs and a few plastic ones with candy within.  After this finished the bigger kids and a few adults, holding their reluctant children’s hands lined up. 

Off they went.  I had some older nieces and nephews and they were first into the search area.  Others followed quickly and there were dozens of eggs to be found. 

Within 20 minutes or so everyone was returning and looking in their eggs at the prizes they had found.  Everyone was duly happy except no one found the egg with the $20 bill within.  So off they went again.      

Several minutes later everyone returned and still no one had found the $20 egg.  I was interrogated by my ex-spouse as to where I hid the egg in question.  I couldn’t remember which one had the big money prize in it!

Some of the kids returned to the search area scouring it.  The rest of us adults mingled around wondering if one of the kids had found it and were not telling.  Then, out of the blue, Jack said, “I have it.”

“Have what Jack?”  My ex-wife asked.

“The $20 egg.”   He didn’t smile, sound excited or anything of the like, just made the comment.

Everyone returned to the house to eat a nice barbeque dinner.  Upon my arrival, there was Jack again in my recliner.  With all of the guests, and only a limited number of places to sit, Jack seemed to have dibs on this chair.

When the first steaks were done, Alisha, Cassandra’s daughter, made up a nice plate with a steak and potatoes and vegetables and bread and brought it into the living room.  I thought she was going to give it to my eldest sister but it was promptly removed from her hands by Jack. “I’ll take that.”  He said.

Jack reseated himself in my recliner and began to eat the first steak.  ‘No big deal.’  I thought

Our dog, Wolfie, was only about 6 months old at the time.  Someone allowed him in and he had a wonderful disposition.  He padded over to where Jack was eating and put his head very softly on Jack’s leg.  Whack!  Jack smacked the innocent dog on the head.  Wolfie yelped and went to the door to be allowed to go back outside where it was safer! 

I thought, ‘Hmmm, my chair, my house, my steaks, my dog and Jack wasn’t even invited.’  But again I kept my mouth shut.

Jack soon walked into the kitchen and deposited a half eaten steak and plate of food next to the sink and started to turn around.  I caught his attention and said to him and Alisha., “Alisha, I was talking with Jack and he said he wants to give you the $20 to help pay for your gas to get here.”  Alisha was just over 20 and not financially solvent yet. 

Jack looked up at me and at Alisha and said, “No I don’t.”

Alisha, not understanding my sarcasm and the fact that Jack was not even a guest, said “That’s Okay, we don’t need it.”

I laughed nervously and said to Jack “You should give it to her because she’s not financially well off like you Jack plus the hunt was for the kids.

Jack looked at me and then at Alisha and never answered, just turned and walked out of the kitchen. 

We all wanted to laugh.  Within a few minutes he came back in and said a quick goodbye and left.  Most of us had still not even eaten but Jack had eaten a ribeye, found a $20 egg and was now departing.  We all laughed heartily at the strange little man.

Those of you who don’t know Jack should listen to some of the stories…..he is a character for sure…not necessarily in a good way but truly a character.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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