OK. So today we learned that New Mexico is leaking nuclear secrets like a sieve, Iran can thumb its nose at the Olympics, the Saudis are spreading radical Wahhabism around the world, and John Kerry isn’t fit to be President (all right, we already knew that).

And then along comes Iowahawk, Moon-equipped and fully tuck-and-rolled, with a wonderful gift: The Gift of the C.I.A. Magi.

One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And a piece of souvenir grenade shrapnel. Three times John counted it. One dollar and eighty- seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.

“Kerry” read the simple tag on his khaki shirt, with insignia showing he was a Lieutentant, JG. Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and he had only $1.87 with which to buy ‘Agent X’ a present.

He had been saving every penny he could for three months, with this result. One hundred dollars a week plus combat pay doesn’t go far, even in Vietnam, even in 1968. Expenses had been greater than he had calculated. There was the 8mm camera for the battle re-enactment movie, plus the film, and the soft-focus lens. Only $1.87 left to buy a present for the Agent. His Agent. Many a happy hour they had spent planning a secret illegal mission upriver to Cambodia, despite Nixon’s denials.

Now, between them there were two possessions in which they both took a mighty pride. One was John’s Purple Hearts, which he had earned in ferocious battles. Had Alvin York himself been in the company barracks, John would have displayed the gleaming decorations just to deprecate the Sergeant’s puny array. The other was the Agent’s map of the Cambodian Mekong. Had James Bond been on assignment in Saigon, Agent X would have pulled out his map every time he passed just to see 007 hide his strangling-wire watch from envy.

John steeled himself for the sacrifice he was about to make.

You’ll have to visit his site for the rest.