Do you peek?

I am not a peeker.

When I was a teenager, I wanted a pair of Topaz earrings in the worst way. For whatever reason, I thought those earrings would make my life complete. I begged for those earrings. I recently had my ears pierced (my parents made me wait until I was 15) and the only thing that mattered to me at that time were earrings.

My parents told me that I wasn't getting them. They said the earrings were too expensive and they already had my Christmas presents. I was absolutely positive I was not getting those earrings. Especially because my mother couldn't keep a secret. If I were getting those earrings, her eyes would've given her away even though her lips were denying it. But not only was she denying it, she was getting a little angry that I kept asking.

One of my friends came over a couple of weeks before Christmas. We were just hanging together. She asked if I had peeked at my gifts yet and I replied that I had never done that. My friend couldn't imagine not peeking! She convinced me (rather easily I might add) to peek at a few of my gifts.

She was definitely an Expert Peeker. She knew how to unwrap and re-wrap the gifts without any indication they had been touched. I was impressed! (Today, I know know how to wrap gifts so that this cannot be done as easily as we did it that day.)

I had several gifts under the tree and picked out a smaller one that felt heavy. I undid the tape, opened up the paper and slid the box out of it. Even before I opened the lid to the box, my inner voice was telling me "This is so wrong! Put it back now!" Being a high school freshman and 15 years old, I tended to ignore that smart little inner voice many times -- and this time was no different.

When I opened the lid to the box, there was a black velvet pouch inside. I opened the pouch and found  .......... a rock!?

It was a rock the size of my hand and on the top of the rock were tiny little figurines playing instruments. The side of the rock was painted with the words "ROCK BAND" and it was absolutely adorable! I already knew where I wanted to put it in my bedroom. I couldn't wait to show it to my friends! The ROCK BAND rock was one of the coolest things I had ever seen!

Then this horrible feeling started to come over me. I felt soooooo bad. Sick to my stomach bad. I think it was guilt. Oh, the guilt! I secretly opened a gift that was supposed to be a surprise. I had been badgering my parents for such a silly gift like earrings when I had plenty of earrings already and here was something they knew I would love. What a rotten daughter I was.

I carefully began to wrap up the rock to be re-wrapped. As I held it from the top to move over to the tissue paper, the bottom of the rock fell off. Not only was it a cool rock -- but it was also cut to make a box.

Inside the rock box was a tiny black velvet jewelry box. The kind that holds earrings. My stomach fell. I still picked up the velvet box to open it. As you have probably guessed by now, inside were the Topaz earrings I wanted so desperately.

Now I really felt bad.

For the next two weeks right up until Christmas I felt bad. Sooooo bad. During that time, I turned into the Perfect Daughter because I felt like such a horrible person. I cleaned my room, did my homework, emptied the dishwasher, folded laundry and put it away... all without anybody asking me to.

That was the first and the only time I have ever peeked at a Christmas present! I have never been tempted to do so ever again. Well, almost ever again... there have been a few times...

I still have the earrings and each time I see them in my jewelry box, they remind me of my parents. Yes, I peeked. And although I won't do it again, I love the image of my parents it brings me when I see the earrings.


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