Christmas Log | The Gift Exchange

[folkscallmewander]

Who: Everyone who signed up for the Secret Santa!
What: Party where everyone can exchange gifts.
When: M11 D4
Where: A conference room at the hotel
Notes & Warnings: Feel free to tag around!

There's a sign at the lobby stating that the winter holiday party for the imports is in one of the back rooms.

Wander convinced the rest of the staff to let him take some leftover bagels and other snack foods from the guest breakfast, and there's a small table in the middle of the room with the food.

Comments

[archeologue]

Belloq isn't the sort of person who often receives hugs, so Wander takes him by surprise. Still, he puts on a charming, agreeable grin even as he thinks that Wander's large eyes and hairy body make him look rather like a living incarnation of a South American demon spirit. Only small. And orange. And smiling a lot more.

"Merci, Wander."

[folkscallmewander]

A few more seconds of hugging, and Wander lets go of Belloq, only to grab him by the hand. "It's right over there," he points to a corner of the room with a fairly large box about Wander's size resting on the floor.

"It took a bit of time to save enough for this, but I hope you really love it!"

[archeologue]

Belloq looked at the box, then at Wander, then back at the box.

"How on earth did a little one like you carry this in?" he asked as he approached the box and ran a hand over the top, curiously.

[folkscallmewander]

Wander lets go of Belloq's hand and cheerfully follows him towards the box.

"Well, I was kinda tryin' to roll it in with one of the carts-it's kinda heavy, but I really didn't want it bumpin' around all crazy- but I was havin' trouble getting it on in real steady. But one of the other workers here-real swell lady, I need to get her somethin' as thanks- said that she could carry it all the way here by herself!"

His focus shifts to Belloq's hand. Another grin springs onto Wander's face, and he switches between looking at Belloq's curious face and back to the box.

"So..." he twiddles his fingers, "wanna find out whats in the box?"

[archeologue]

"Of course. That is the whole joy of wrapped presents, is it not? The anticipation of the surprise, wondering and not knowing and then seeing the object unveiled for the first time."

[But he politely waits and raises his eyebrows to receive permission from the gift-giver to unwrap his gift.]

[folkscallmewander]

Wander steps behind the gift and holds out his hands as if he were presenting it for the first time.

Inside, there is a ceramic vase, painted with an simple pattern in a variety of colors.

"I though that since you like beautiful pieces of art, I decided that it'd be nice for you to have somethin' new for your place!"

[archeologue]

Belloq, when presented with a vase, immediately wants to inspect it, judge its age, its provenance.

But this isn't an artifact he dug up; this is a gift. And as Saint Jerome wrote, equi donati dentes non inspiciuntur. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Thank you, Wander. It's very beautiful. I shall keep it in my office so I have something lovely to look at when I'm down in that dusty museum basement."

[folkscallmewander]

It was a very expensive vase, compared to the things Wander usually is able to buy with the funds he has on the road. He was convinced that a cheap (or reasonably priced) gift would not be enough to satisfy Belloq.

And he looks pretty happy with it so far.

"I was thinkin', that you love all these old pieces of art, but ya always need to give 'em away, right? So this'll brighten up your place, an' it's all yours!"

[archeologue]

He smiles, charmed by Wander's reasoning. And amazed that the little one is still so earnest and true, and hasn't yet been corrupted by the world. It's a rare thing.

"That's very thoughtful of you. I don't believe anyone has given me a gift like this before." Usually, Belloq just takes things. They aren't given. This is a novelty.

[folkscallmewander]

He tries his best to share something positive with his friends, and it looks like it worked again with Belloq.

"Well then, I'm glad that you got this gift!" It's a sad thing when someone never gets presents, and there's nothing better than seeing someone genuinely happy for once. "Oh, um, but please be careful with handlin' it. Wouldn't want it to break, am I right?"

[archeologue]

"I'm very good at handling vases with care. You have no need to worry."

He runs his fingers down the smooth glaze, taking it in with the senses.

"It will be safe. I hate to see broken artwork." Even the artifacts, whenever he finds them broken, which is often enough, he grieves for them and wishes they could have been saved intact. There are few things more rare and joyous than finding a perfectly intact vase buried beneath the earth.

"In a thousand years, if this vase is still whole, it will be not just lovely but priceless."

[folkscallmewander]

Belloq looks so genuinely happy. A job well done!

"I'm so glad you like it!" He picks up the empty gift box, carefully closes it, and sets it aside. "Maybe in a thousand years, someone'll find and put it in a museum. You'll be famous!" He swung his hands into the air at the last word. Imagine: Belloq's vase becoming a historic item in the future.

[archeologue]

He laughs. In truth, nothing would make him happier than for his bones to be found in a tomb in a thousand years time, surrounded by a treasure trove of art and riches, the archaeological find of the century in some far distant century. "The Tomb of Belloq" they can call the find, getting his name from an old and worn gravestone.