The Missus calls me yesterday afternoon.

"There's a big box here and it looks pretty crushed on one side."

I figure that this is what Vader sent. But how big is it?

"Pretty big." She gives it a shake. Lots of rattling. "It sounds like it's broken."

I give her permission to open the box. I know I still have three hours left before I get home, but I'd like to be able to tell Vader if it's broken or not.

I hear cardboard ripping on the other end of the line, followed by giggling.

"I can't tell you what it is." she announces after the giggling fit.

"It's not broken, but I can't tell you what it is. It's a visual."

Now I'm a bit miffed. I have a gift and no way of knowing what it is, with a giggling wife refusing to give me any details. How about a hint?

"Okay, listen" she says. I make out what sounds like twenty broken CD cases rattling around. My hearing sucks, so it could have been damn well been twenty broken CD cases.

"Is it...marbles?" I can hear her grinning as she tells me "no." She steadfastly refuses any more clues to me.

I suffer quietly through the rest of the day, only briefly buoyed by a co-worker telling me I look thinner (Yes, someone noticed!). The audio guy in my head keeps replaying that rattle a dozen times more. I got nothing.

I skip the gym under the guise of still having a cold. Partly true, but I need to see what's in the box.