Important Envelope

Pulling back the covers and climbing into bed, I found a manila envelope under my pillow. It had a roll of packaging tape in it and was covered with Paul's artwork. This was not any ordinary envelope. It was a certificate-sized envelope from the Texas State Board of Pharmacy. It had held my preceptor certificate that I will take to work and display, as mandated by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy for a pharmacist functioning as a preceptor. HAD held. I was annoyed that my important certificate was missing. Paul was asleep, so I would wait until morning to ask him about it. I told Coker about it and went to sleep hoping I wouldn't have to order a new one from the Board.

True to my forgetful nature, I didn't think about the certificate or the envelope in the morning. As I sat at the table with Paul and TJ, Coker came in and stood up for me.

"Paul, do you remember that envelope you left in the bed? Where are the papers that were inside it?" he asked sternly. Paul answered and Coker found the certificate.

Paul looked at me and sadly said, "I meant for that to be a present."

He'd decorated the package and left me a little trinket under my pillow as a surprise.