There Was This Birthday...Thingy

Name: Mr. Cellophane
Occupation: Gullible Doofus
Years of Experience: 65

It's all about life's milestones, right?

•  I spent my 21st birthday in Boston with friends at a rock club.  Of course, one had to be 21 to drink alcohol in Boston in 1967.  Legal age was 18 in NYC at the time.
• The 30th was spent with many friends at 2 dance clubs in NYC - 12West, and Flamingo.  No booze; just lots of weed!
• The 40th saw a surprise party with fewer friends than the 30th. AIDS was raging at that time and too many friends were gone.
• The 50th, and there were only memories of happy times with friends no longer living.
• The 60th was perhaps the worst. Life as I knew it for 30 years was vanishing and there was nothing to celebrate, except that I was alive, I didn't think that was much to celebrate at the time.

Now comes the 65th and life is becoming bright again, but in a whole other way and moving in a different direction. Oh, and there was this party of sorts...

Lots of birthdays are celebrated at the restaurant throughout the year. Surprising and embarrassing to be sure, but always fun.  There is a sombrero, noisemakers, cakes, and a singing animated animal.  Don't ask.

I am always asked my opinions and personal preferences for these reservations. I am free to give away any ideas I can, especially if I know the victim birthday person. So I was not prepared, had no idea, this information would be turned against toward me yesterday afternoon.

It was a busy lunch and I was distracted caring for the diners and keeping the servers up to speed on any changes in menu options, etc.   Suddenly one of the Locosguys appears asking that I help him with a log-in problem he's having at a site we usually post special events and daily menu specials. Someone covers my station and I race back toward the office only to be stopped in my tracks by cart pushed by the other Locosguy sporting the largest Red Velvet Cake I have ever seen.  It had to be 15" round!  The entire staff - kitchen crew included - began to sing "Happy Birthday" and I was speechless...yes, ME!

Many pictures were taken, not by me. Many cards were handed to me, which I put aside as the handle of a 10" chef's knife was slapped into my hand to cut the cake. Honest to G*d, that cake served about 40 people with more to spare. It was heavy to handle, but oh so light and heavenly on the palate.

I read the cards as I sipped the AS cocktail and was overwhelmed by the many wishes and signatures. I was thrilled by 1 very special card from the kitchen staff who acknowledged my willingness to arrive extra early to let them in to prep for the day and make coffee for them each morning.  It's the little things.

There were cards from the wait staff, and a few from regular customers, and a balloon sculpture. too. I'm sharing this because I want to remember this event and need it here in case someday I require a quick pick-me-up when things are less than happy.

The original plan was to leave at shift's end, head home and do a light supper.  Well, as I sipped the AS cocktail and read the cards, another cocktail appeared before me.  As I finished that one, yet another appeared.  I knew I had to stop this flow and asked the barman to cut it off.  While I was honored, the fact remained that I had to walk home; being giddy from the surprises coupled with the booze were the determining factors.

Danced around the living room for a bit, had a salad and relaxed in the quiet of the evening. Processing what had just happened. 

Today was as if nothing had happened...except, once in a while someone would come up and hug me asking if I "enjoyed" the birthday, then smile and go back to work.  They knew I had a grand time, and they did, too.

Yep, it's the little things.

Note:  The image above is NOT the Red Velvet Cake.  Just a gay old image I found on the net. Sorry for any confusion, but I did say I didn't take any pictures of the event.

And so it goes.
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