[The main character has visited his 12-year-old son in the boy’s room as he’s preparing to go to a female classmate’s birthday party.  The kid does not know what to take her for a present.]

“Well, you’re probably wanting to avoid something too personal like jewelry, right?  Might send the wrong message?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, do you like this girl?”  I sat on his bed and he stood holding the same pair of jeans he’d had since I arrived.

“I don’t know.  You mean like…like her?”

“I, uh…think so.”

“I mean, she’s nice and stuff.”

“Okay.  I think I get it.  If I can correctly decipher your coded phrasing, I think you’re saying she’s cute, single, and you want to let her know you like her, but since the whole class will be there, you’re afraid to announce that to the world, mostly because you are insecure that she will not reciprocate the same feelings.”

He stared at me.  “What?”

“Nothing.  What about a gift card?”