Personal (Affect) #5. Vienna Souvenir

Souvenir from the coldest place on earth

My husband and I spent our 2004 Christmas vacation in Vienna, Austria.  Tad chose Vienna because he knew I would enjoy the Christmas Markets (Christkindlmarkt).  These Little wooden huts are set up in the center of the city to sell antiques, crafts, jewelry, hot milled wine, baked goods and more.   Even though it was the coldest we have ever been, we managed to visit each one.  I found this little clown at an antique market but couldn't negotiate the man down to the dollar I wanted to pay so we left.  It didn't take long for the regret to set in.  I shouldn't have left him behind, I really liked it.  It was too late, we were leaving the next morning and it was way too cold to back-track.

As we were preparing to leave the next morning, Tad handed me a "surprise".  It was the little clown I left behind at the antique market.  Tad knew I regretted my decision and snuck back to the market to get it while I slept.  It's more than a souvenir to me now, it's a reminder of Tad's kind and selfless nature.