You'd think the fates would have better things to do

[40cakes]

The fates have aligned and decided I can never have an iPod.

I was beginning to accept I'd never get one through freeipods. Every time I thought I finally had my fifth person, they didn't do the ad, or got rejected for the credit card or whatever. Despite the fact that people I referred got their iPods (one person is on his second), and here I am with just four out of five friends. I was at peace.

Tonight, at the second of three parties, we play the "Pick the gift out of the pile" game. You know, where people pick presents and they can either pick a wrapped gift or something someone else already opened. Fun. One of the rules, as the game is explained, is "A gift can only be taken twice." The way they explain it sounds like "If you have two things taken away, you can't have anything else taken away."

I open a cooler/FM radio. It's taken away.

I open a margarita set. It's taken away.

I open a plain envelope (from the company, no less), hoping it's cash or a gift certificate. Inside, there is a folded piece of paper that says:

"This paper entitles the bearer to one free iPod mini from [the Chief Administrative Officer], in any color and with any engraving of your choice."

I do a happy dance. [Literally] I've had two gifts taken away! That means THIS IS MINE!

No it doesn't. What the rule was supposed to mean is that if someone takes something from me, and I take it back, it's mine forever. So my paper got taken away.

I open a Make Your Own Beer set. No one wants it. The iPod certificate is passed around the room, and gets back to someone who had it taken away before. It's theirs forever.

So I walked to the subway and got on the train and in Penn Station someone stepped on my foot and knocked off my shoe and I think he said "I'm very, very sorry" because when I looked at him, I think I looked I was going to cry.

Well at least I'm going home tonight so I can have a gyno appointment in the morning.

Comments

[sarcasticval.livejournal.com]

My sympathies. And also, word to your first two paragraphs. Take some small comfort in the fact that you aren't the only one.

[prettykate.livejournal.com]

I want an ipod so badly too! I know now that I live in NYC I will never ever be able to afford one. :(

[mistressrenet.livejournal.com]

::hugs::

Those games are evil and cruel.

[sarcasticval.livejournal.com]

Seriously! You shouldn't be able to give somebody a present only to allow numerous others to take it away! That kind of defeats the whole intrinsic purpose of gift giving!

[jaina.livejournal.com]

No kidding! That's just mean. And if they're going to have gifts that are THAT good, they should all be really kickass just to ease the pain.

[sarahtheboring.livejournal.com]

fourthed. Every time I've played this game - my family plays it every year, and my workplace played it this year - it was with mostly useless presents, so the fun is in trying to offload them ("Tissues! You have to love tissues!"). With a few decent, but not hardcore, gifts mixed in. The decent stuff the company had was handed out by drawing names out of a hat.

This version sounds evil. They screwed up the game, I think. :/

[mistressrenet.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Your office game sounds fun.

[sarahtheboring.livejournal.com]

Somebody brought in a taxidermied deer head to the work version this year. Gotta love Pennsylvania. O_o

My family has raised it to an art form, though. There's a certain insane poetry to, say, your uncle pitching cereal at the top of his lungs, or everyone pretending to hide the set of mini wine bottles. It is fun.

[mistressrenet.livejournal.com]

Especially if the gifts are going to be that unequal.

[imnotsancho.livejournal.com]

mmmmmm gyno exam..........

oh, uh, sorry about your ipod. never give up though. you will get yours one day. there is always hope.

[fadingembers.livejournal.com]

Now I'm sure you guys think we women practically salivate at the thought of having a big six-inch speculum put inside us, allow me to say this is not the case. REALLY REALLY NOT.

>^..^

[arafel.livejournal.com]

Well, shit. If I was much richer than I am now, I'd buy you an iPod just because your story sucks so much. *hugs*

Take comfort. They'll come down in price when they aren't so popular, and you'll get them for half or less of what everyone else is paying now.

[aphelant.livejournal.com]

Exactly why I've been waiting to get an MP3 player - I am a poor college student. :(