Matt had decided the best course of action would be to come clean when his dad tossed an offhand remark into the equation.
"You know, that allowance I am still paying you is to help with school expenses, not buy expensive gadgets," his dad said. His father had always been tight with money and would have preferred Matt hold a part-time job while going to school. Mom, who had always spoiled her only son, insisted that Matt should remain jobless in order to concentrate on his college classes.
"I didn't buy it," Matt said, shoving the package into his desk drawer and away from his father's prying eyes. "It was a gift."
Dad laughed. "From one of your deadbeat friends?"
Matt had met all of his dad's golfing buddies and doubted his father had much room to make such characterizations of Matt's friends.
"I do something else for you?" Matt asked pointedly.
"No, I was curious about the doorbell was all," Dad said.
"Well, if that's all, I guess I better get back to it," Matt said.
As his dad turned to leave, Matt added, "And can you close the door on your way out?"
Matt, safely turned back to face his computer, smiled when he heard the door close.
He pored over the complex details shown on the screen, scrolling through them, only giving a quick, inattentive scan to most of them.
He wanted to try the Chronivac, but wasn't sure how to start. It was Saturday morning, so he had all weekend to mess around with the exotic device.