"What's today's plan"? thats the usual Saturday morning dialogue from Jim. His heart secretly wishing that his wife, Della would let him sleep on the Saturday morning. Those soft fluffy puris which is usually on menu for the week end does make him drowsy.
Della was one of the types who gets into a fit of bad headache if she had to spend those precious Saturdays at home. It had been really hard on Jim in those early years to even think of going out , and equally hard on Della to while away time at home on Saturdays. But then as time flew by, they were quite used to each other's habits.
"What's today's plan", the initial question from Jim just hung there when Della thought for a second and said, "I'm going to church. You stay at home and have your sleep" Jim was happy. He was free to sleep. Della asked Jim to drop her off at the church and thereafter pick her up when it was over. Jim complied, dropped her off and went back home.
It was 12'o Clock, when the church was over. In Chennai, the climate just differs between 'HOT', 'HOTTER' and 'HOTTEST', and Della was finding it pretty difficult to walk down home. "These auto wallahs demand a fortune to give a drop. Its better walking down", Della decided. She thought of calling Jim to pick her up, but decided against it. "He should be having his beauty sleep now. Let him rest".
Jim was at home. the bed looked really inviting. and the hot sun too... making him all the more drowsy. The chappatis for breakfast was heavy down in this stomach and that was giving him the 'Chloroform' effect. But "NO" Jim thought, "I should not sleep, Della will call me any minute to pick her up, I should be awake"
So finally a "Saturday sleep deprived" Jim was forcing himself to be wide awake, for Della's sake, to pick her up from Church, while Della for Jim's sake walks home in the hot sun thinking her precious husband was having his beauty sleep.
The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.
- O Henry
