Flocanrib – a parable

Irene was the only little girl in her whole extended family, and everyone loved giving her girly gifts. Three of her uncles liked to give her certain gifts every birthday. Uncle John always gave her a flower, uncle Jack always gave her a box of candy, and uncle Jerry always gave her a hair ribbon. They always gave together, and in secret. The night before her birthday, the three would meet together in the dead of night with their presents, and together leave them on her doorstep. Irene would awake each birthday morning to find such presents, much to her delight. But she didn’t know who they were from and naturally assumed that it was one giver, not three.

As they coordinated the drop off each year, the conspirators would communicate, and they took to referring to themselves as “Flocanrib.” They would say things like “When is Flocanrib meeting next Tuesday?” and “Can Flocanrib do it again this year?”

When she was little, Irene thought of the source of her yearly presents as her birthday fairy “Presenty.” But later, she thought it must be a single human being – she imagined, a relative – still called, in her mind, “Presenty.” One day, when she was in high school, her birthday came, but the presents did not. They never resumed, and Irene still wondered who Presenty was; she was eager to thank this person.

Her uncles had all passed away, so they would never confess to their kind deeds. But one of their wives, looking through her deceased husband’s correspondence, found mentions of “Flocanrib” which seemed to imply that this had been the source of Irene’s doorstep presents. “Irene,” she said, “I know who gave you those gifts! In your uncle John’s correspondence, I found his or her name – ‘Flocanrib.’ Odd name, isn’t it? Anyway, it must’ve been someone your uncle knew… I wish I could help more. I’ve never heard of him or her.”

Irene was delighted. “I know who Presenty is – a Mr. or Ms. Flocanrib!” Aided by family members, she searched high and low, but found no evidence of any such person. All she knew – or thought she knew – that her three deceased uncles had known and probably helped him or her. She still wanted to know who Presenty was, but now she was also puzzled as to why her uncles knew this person, but never said anything to her about it.

Finally, Irene cracked the case. One of her aunts sent her an old email from uncle Jerry, which he’d sent to both John and Jack. It said,

 Flo’s bringing a carnation. What is Can bringing – chocolates? I’m bringing a pink ribbon. Sincerely, Rib.

Now she saw that there was no such person as “Flocanrib” or “Presenty.” “Flocanrib” was just name for three persons – for her uncles John, Jack, and Jerry, as birthday present conspirators.

She visited their graves, leaving an appropriate gift at each one.

Next time: Irene’s mistake explained.