Yoyo? This Guy\'s Giving Me

¶ … YoYo? This guy's giving me a yoyo? Although "the girl of your dreams" may initially question why you or anyone would give her a yoyo, when you explain, however, that you recently learned:

In the Philippines around 1500, the Yo-Yo was a weapon. It consisted of a four pound stone attached to a rope about 20 feet long. Tribesmen used it in two ways. When hunting, they stood off to one side, held one end of the rope and threw the rock towards the legs of an animal. The rope became tangled around the animals legs, and with a tug, the hunter brought the animal down. Against enemies, the stones would be dropped on their heads. The tribesmen would quickly recover the stones, ready for a second blow if necessary.

The modern story of the yo-yo starts with a young gentleman from the Philippines named Pedro Flores. In the 1920s, he moved to the U.S.A., and worked as a bellhop at a Santa Monica hotel. Carving and playing with wooden yo-yos was a traditional pastime in the Philippines, but Pedro found that his lunch break yo-yo playing drew a crowd at the hotel. He started a company to make the toys, calling it the Flores Yo-Yo Company. This was the first appearance of the name "yo-yo," which means "come-come" in the native Filipino language of Tagalog.

The yo-yo needs to be unique; one that reflects thoughtful consideration was given to choose one that fits "just right." The yo-yo will not only be significant because it matches the color of her eyes or reminds you of where she came from or.... It could be the color of the Philippine flag: red, blue, yellow, and white or the color of a pearl or...

You will likely want to purchase a yo-yo for yourself as well, and remind her that as even today, a "battle of the sexes" goes on - you are challenging her to a yo-yo contest. Or perhaps, you both can learn new techniques together. Along with giving this new friend, or as you note, "the girl of your dreams," a unique yo-yo, a flowering potted plant would be great to bring as a peace offering. This serves two purposes:

To accent the words, "I'm sorry I did not drop you off directly at your aunt's house last week. Will please forgive me?"

The flowers will remind her of you each time she has to water it.