The most fun I've ever had on a birthday

Birthdays have never been a great favorite of mine, but I've been having fun with this one. For one thing, for the first time, I know two someones who share it. One such someone, though she doesn't know it yet, is the target of this page. I have thoroughly enjoyed inflicting this birthday on others.

For tonight, I expect it will be a quiet dinner with friends. I'm pretty sure they don't even know it's my birthday, and I'm just as happy that way. I'll go play with their kids, enjoy the lasagna, home-made, and relax.

My family took me out to dinner last weekend, a little early because they're out of town this weekend. Naturally, someone quietly informed the restaurant that it was my birthday. The staff, in turn, trotted out the ice cream, the silly hat, and the loud, off-key song. I endured the song, ate about half the ice cream, and narrowly avoided being photographed in the silly hat.

Then, on my way out of the restaurant, I dropped the hat, without a word, onto the head of a nearby six-year-old stranger and kept on walking as I listened behind me for the stir I had created.

So to the rest of the world, if you like my birthday, fine. Enjoy it all you want. Just let me sleep, okay?