Faux Paux Cover up

**HouHaunter** · 07-21-2009,11:07 AM

Over the weekend I acquired a real black bear skin rug. Now there is some history between me and the bear. Several years ago a neighbor had let me borrow the bear for inside my dark tunnel. Infared sensor triggered, slight delay, strobe light - your standing next to the bear, everyone scream. This is what I refer to as a 100 percent gag. Anyway the owner moves away after letting me borrow it for a couple of years. Depression sets in. For the next couple of years I tried different things - learned to never use sound activated props in the dark tunnel - but none were as great as the bear. Heck I was still trying to figure out what to use this year. Then...per chance at a party...I run into the owner of the bear. He asks if I still had a scroll saw, fyi my other hobby is woodworking. I tell him yeah I do, he asks if I want to sell it, yeah I will. Would you trade the scroll saw for the bear. Clouds part ... Angles sing... Heck yeah I will.
The scroll saw had sat unused for years, so I get home, dig it out, make sure it still works ( a held breath moment I promise you) and cleaned it to like new condition. The next day the trade is made and I am thrilled!!! Until...
at one point during the trade my wife comes out into the garage to say Hi to our old neighbors and see's whats being traded. I immediately get the look, and she hurries herself back inside. After my new best friend had left I go inside to see what I had I done wrong. It wasn't until she said "Do you like your new Bear?" did the 20 watt bulb go off over my head. You've seen those commercials about people eating candy bars to buy time, this was one of those moments. This is how I covered my Faux Paux: Joyfully I run up to my wife of nearly 25 years ( July 28th to be exact) and exclaim what a great and wonderful wife she is. I praise her for getting me that scroll saw many years ago, so I can get one of the best props I've ever had. Without her I never would've seen that bear ever again, and would continue to be frustated with the dark tunnel. On and on I praise her giving her credit for getting me the bear, mental note to self - always say Hey look what my wife got me before showing the bear. I wasn't sure of my sleeping arrangements that night until her brother and his kids came by to see the massive turtle that I found in the garage (couldn't think of a good prop for the turtle, so it was released into the bayou). During their visit my wife spies the box containing the bear and proudly exclaims to the kids: " Hey do yall want to see what I got your Uncle for Halloween". To this day she takes credit, and rightly so.

So when you get busted for another Halloween acquisition- Give them all the praise and credit. But use this one sparingly though.