This strikes a responsive chord with me.

We recently had a couple of hunting trips to some cooler climes with only one or the other of my two sons. On the first trip, my older son with the help of his mother in packing managed to forget both warm shirts and a belt. Fortunately I discovered that before we reached the the Sierras. In addition to proper shirts, we got a suitable belt. He naturally chose a leather belt showing several game scenes. Somehow my wife had never happened to get him anything like that. (All right, in her defense, I will acknowledge that our local clothiers probably don't stock them).

On the next trip, with my younger son, he too wanted a comparable belt!!! Naturally (at this point, I am willing to concede the possibilty of some possible paternal culpability), we forgot to pack an adequate supply of his antihistamines (Yes, I do carry some in my pocket emergency kit--but it was not a full week's supply). Consequently, we too had to go to the store on our hunting trip. And, yes, naturally he, too, got exactly the fully game-festooned belt that he wished.

Thus ends the tale on my deer hunting trips for this year. And both kids ended up with more deer on their belts than I did I in my bag. <img src="images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

John