Surprise Homecoming

Do you enjoy surprising others?  

Well, I have a surprise for you. You might end up being surprised yourself.

My brother Dave loves to spring a surprise on us. In the last 10 years or so, however, he hasn't had too many opportunities to do that, because he and his wife, Glad, lived abroad. The only chance, then, to surprise us is when he, she, or both come home for vacation.

He keeps every coming home a secret. Because he gives us no idea of such plans, we go ahead with our own plans. During one of his short visits, I was in Bacolod, so I scarcely  saw him when I got back. At another time, my family and I were in a resort somewhere, and couldn't cut short our stay to be with him. Then another time . . . oh, you wouldn't want to know all the misses and miscues.  

Last month, he wrote us an email, for once, announcing his and Glad's arrival. He even attached their flight e-ticket. We were overjoyed! 

Then came the surprise. On his son's FB wall, I read about Dave's coming home with over 25 boxes. He and Glad had come home for good, and we had no idea! My nephew wrote he was just as surprised—and many friends replied from all over the world that this was indeed a big surprise.  

Guess what. Dave got the biggest surprise of all. He couldn't understand why nobody (but nobody) got the hint, “But what I sent everyone on email was a one-ticket!”

Duh.

Now one more surprise—a deed of grace that moved me so. He emailed me his last act abroad: he donated 13 of my books to the public library.

Oh, what a brother! He'll be surprised to know that this sister surprisingly loves him to pieces, even if he is home for good to hound us with more shocking surprises.