I wanted to give him something small,
something relatively meaningless
a trifle
a toy.

He seemed not to have many friends
and I figured
whatever I gave,
the thought would be more important
than the actual gift
but I forgot that children
are selfish little monsters.

He saw that my trifling toy
was a turd
and was terribly untouched.
“Yeah,” he said, “Thanks.”
The bastard.

Next year
he gets coal.