"Hi, Professor Oak. Why did you ask me to come over?"

"Ah, there you are, Ash." Professor Oak picked up a pair of fearsome-looking curved scissors. "Why don't you have a seat?"

"Uh, what are you going to do with those, Professor?" Ash asked anxiously as he started heading back out the door.

"I'm going to take those stitches out of your forehead. Now hop up on the table."

Ash eyed Professor Oak warily. "Is that the only thing you're going to do to me with those scissors?"

"Yes, Ash. I'm not going to perform an appendectomy on you while you're not looking. I'm not as needle-happy as you think." He patted the Pokémon examination table. "Come on. Climb up here."

With some reluctance, Ash obeyed. Professor Oak removed the bandage from Ash's head and examined the wound. "Looks like it's healed beautifully, Ash. Shouldn't even leave a scar," he observed as he carefully clipped away the two bits of suture material. "And it looks like the bruising on your nose has diminished considerably. Any problems with it?"

Ash shook his head.

"So, Ash, did you ever find a present for Misty?"

"No."

"Ash, Christmas is the day after tomorrow, you know."

"I know, Professor. But I can't find what I want to give her. Nothing seems right. I've looked at clothes, jewelry, perfume, cookies…"

"Don't remind me about cookies, Ash," Professor Oak said tersely as he put away his suture scissors. "You and Brock are lucky that I had some pheromone antidote on hand." He still had the bite marks on his neck from where Heracross had tried to give him a hickey.

"What am I going to do, Professor Oak? The Christmas party's tomorrow night."

"Ash, have you ever thought about giving Misty what's in there?" he said, tapping the boy's chest.

"My jacket?" Ash said, puzzled. "There's nothing in there but a pack of gum and a used tissue. I don't think Misty would want that for Christmas."

Professor Oak slapped his forehead. Sometimes Ash could be so dense that it was unbelievable. "I mean your heart, boy! Tell her how you feel about her."

Ash was aghast. "I can't do that, Professor! What if she doesn't feel the same way about me that I do about her? What if she laughs at me?"

"Well, that's a chance you're going to have to take if you want to have a relationship with her. Besides, I don't think Misty would laugh at you. She seems like a very nice young lady. And she seems like she's fond of you, too."

"Really?" Ash was surprised.

"Yes. I've watched the two of you together. It's obvious to even me that she likes you."

"Wow," Ash said as he slid off of the table. "Do you really think so?"

"Yes, Ash." Professor Oak smiled. "Now run along and I'll see you and your mother at the party tomorrow night."

"Thanks, Professor," Ash grinned as he headed out the door.

As Professor Oak glanced out the window and saw Ash heading down the road, he caught a glimpse of Delia hanging a Christmas wreath on her front door. As he watched her for a moment, he was suddenly struck by the irony of the conversation he had just had with Delia's son.

Samuel, you may be good at giving out advice, but you aren't good about following it yourself.