Invisible Gift

As a Kindergarten boy checked out his book, he leaned real close to me and said “Ms. Brugmann, I have a gift for you.” And he handed me an invisible something. He mimed holding something, and I took it very carefully from him.
“What is it?” I asked. A little wary of the answer.
“It’s an invisible shelf marker. See it has a heart on it just for you.” He said. (Shelf markers are paint sticks the students use as they browse the shelves to make sure books stay in proper order.)
“Oh thank you!” I replied.

One week later, that same boy came back to check out a new book. “Member me, I got you the present,” he said. And he asked if I still had it. I admit I was stumped at first and then felt ashamed. Here was the sweet little boy who gave me my first invisible gift, and I had almost forgotten. “Yes, here it is,” I said. And I showed it to him. An invisible shelf marker with a heart on it just for me.