Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind

Bargatze reflects on his youth in Lakewood, Tennessee. During Christmas in 1997, Bargatze’s younger sister, Abigail, was around nine years old and Bargatze was 18. Abby wanted to buy her family Christmas gifts, but she didn’t have much money. The Bargatze parents let Abigail use change from their change jar to buy everyone gifts. Abby bought mediocre gifts for their parents and middle brother Derek, but she tried hard to buy a nice gift for Bargatze—a DVD of the movie Men in Black—whom she especially wanted to impress. 

When his brother, Derek, asked Bargatze about the movie, he responded, “Men in Black? Are you kidding me? I hate that movie!” (32). Abby heard this from the other room and was devastated. When Bargatze opened the gift the next morning, Abby burst into tears. Realizing that she heard what he said, Bargatze made up an excuse. He told her that he only said that he didn’t like it because he was afraid no one would get it for him for Christmas. He watched it with her that day and took her to see all the sequels for years to come.