Baby Gays

 

 Random Gift of Baby Gays

I was out shopping with my friend who asked me to go with her.  She needed to make some clothing purchases for an upcoming cruise.  We were in Ross store, and I was just casually browsing since I didn’t have anything in mind to buy.  I thought about my daughter-in-law who had most recently had a baby, my fourth grandchild.  She was adjusting to the transition of having three children, breastfeeding, and the repetitive loss of a full night’s sleep.  I thought I’d pick up a little something for her to show her she was appreciated for all her effort to survive a newborn.  I remembered that my son had said she really used a lot of Q-tips.  Somehow it came up in a conversation when were on vacation together, I think.  When I saw these cute plastic containers shaped like clouds and filled with Q-tips, I immediately thought of that random conversation.  I wanted to get her something useful after all and not something to produce more clutter or to cause more stress.  I needed a sweet gift with a purpose.  This was the perfect gift as far as I was concerned.  I purchased it for her and presented it to her the next time I was at their house.  My son and daughter-in-law thought it a funny and unusual gift, but nonetheless, something she would definitely use.  These particular Q-tips had a normal tuft of cotton on one end and the other end was a rigid, pointy cotton.  This distinction caused me to Google the uniqueness of this ear-cleaning device.  During my search I discovered many “fun facts” about the use and origin of ear swabs.  For example, I learned that originally ear swabs were invented in the 1920’s and called “Baby Gays”.  Shortly afterwards they were renamed to Q-tips, and the “q” was to indicate “quality” in the product.  My research provided numerous facts, such as how in the UK they are known as “cotton buds”.  We laughed and my daughter-in-law said it was the strangest gift she had ever received.  I said that the facts about the Q-tip would make a wonderful trivia question on a gameshow!

 Now comes the crazier part of the story.  Later that same evening, I was watching a show called Split Second on the Game Show Network.  You guessed it.  “Ear, Ear!  Tell me if these facts about Q-tips are True or False”, the host blurted out.  I was quick enough to snap a picture of the television screen with my phone camera.  Otherwise, I doubt anyone would have believed my story.  The questions posed to the contestants and written on the screen were: 1. “They were originally called Baby Gays; 2. “They’re made with real cotton”; and 3. “The “Q” stands for quick.”  Of course, the answers were:  1. True 2. True and 3. False.  I immediately sent a text with a picture of the tv screen to my son and daughter-in-law along with an excited phone call!  Remember how I said Baby Gays would make a good trivia question?  None of us could believe that this had happened.  It was even more astounding than me buying my daughter-in-law a box of 500 Q-tips and joking that she might need more in about 6 weeks!   Tammy Harvey   10/17/2024