My son Joshua is obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine and the other engines from Sodor and Santa Claus, being an inspired fellow, knew this and last year gave the lad, inter alia, pairs of Thomas (blue), Percy (green) and James (red) socks. He loved them all.
Sadly one James sock got lost. But the lad did not seem to mind wearing the one that remained with a red Father Christmas sock. He dutifully repeated his father’s phrase “a gentleman wears odd socks.” Then disaster…a hole emerged in the James sock and the Mrs refused to darn it as would have happened in the good old days and the sock was binned. Joshua was desolate.
Today c/o of Amazon a present arrived for Joshua. New pairs of Thomas, Percy and James socks. He is again wearing his James socks showing them off to anyone he can find. As we put them on he said “Daddy that is the best present ever.” He really means it. One’s heart melts.