Many years ago in a small town in Long Island a little boy name J lived with his family. He was so curious and his mom, a teacher for children with very special needs decided her son needed something special to occupy his time, so she bought him something he never, ever expected.
It was his birthday morning and she made his favorite breakfast, a bagel with applesauce on it, hot chocolate, and oatmeal with cinnamon, no sugar. His mom's name was K and she had a wonderful imagination so she wrapped his gift up and lay it on the table. It was very long and looked like it had a handle. K glued fruit bars to it, sugarless gum, sunglasses and a fanny pack.
J woke up early knowing how his mom loved to surprise him and instantly he saw the package. He started guessing, mom is it a shovel, a golf club or a fancy umbrella? What mom, what is it? K told him to eat, and then he could open his present. J's dad came out ready to have breakfast, kissed his son on the head and told him he loved him, and Happy birthday, left a small package next to the big one. Dad also glued things on his package, and it looked like small books. J was very confused.
After everyone finished eating J stood up, mom, dad can I open my gifts now? They both smiled and said yes and J ripped the gift paper off with a fury. J had such a look of confusion as he looked at something he never saw before. Mom, what is this, a shovel of some kind? No she told him, it's a metal detector! She looked estactic knowing the fun he'd have exploring. J still looked confused. K went on to explain what it was used for and J put it down. This did not make him happy, but he did take the gum, fruit bars, sunglasses and fanny pack off the paper.
Now he looks at his father and said, dad I hope this is better. Dad stopped him and said, I don't appreciate what you just said about your mothers gift. J was raised right and understood what his father meant. Right away he apologized and said, mom, I'm sorry, I love you, and he meant it. K with tears said I know you are and I love you too sweetie.
J then ripped open his dads' gift. Again his eyes fell. Dad! What is this, why are you giving me a shovel? I know this is a shovel and a little one. His dad, E. said you will need it and it opens to get bigger. You will use it with your metal detector. When you find riches and your metal detector makes noises, you have to dig to find your treasure.
J was really disappointed. He wanted video games, but his mom and dad understood very well what was happening with children who no longer used their brains to learn and explore and play outside. The next day J's dad, E. said let's go outside and I'll show you how to use your metal detector, and he told J to take out one of the wrapped small packages he left inside. J opened it up. It was a book, all about treasures, gems and things people found with a metal detector.
After E showed his son how to use it, J went out to his yard which was really two acres of property and mom would watch and watch every day. Finally one day about three weeks after J started using his metal detector, his mom and dad saw him run to get the shovel, grab a piece of gum, look in his book and ran back to a spot and start digging. Mom and dad watched with anticipation. They saw J take something from the ground. He put it in his pocket and ran to the house.
He yelled as he came in slamming the door, mom! Dad! Look, I've got a gerbenschmergen!
As soon as they saw him running they stepped in another room so he wouldn't know they were watching. Mom and dad at once said, A what? Oh dad don't you know. It's a gerbenschmergen ! Okay, I have to go back to find more. For years after that little J used his metal detector and he dug a tunnel to store all of his gerbenschmergens ! When J grew up, he married a lady who was a lot like his mom and he and his wife had a son. When his son was nine years old J gave him his first Metal detector. His son asked , what's this for? Well son, it's for you to find your own Gerbenschmergens!
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