So today I was invited to a birthday party. A girrrrrrrrls birthday party. But before you get all excited, it was a girl my boy goes to daycare with. When I dropped him off, she comes up to me and asks if I would like to go to her birthday party.
I have to admit, I was honored. I mean I was invited to a birthday party. Who cares if it was a 5 year old girl, I can drink beer with her Dad no problem. The point being here is that I was invited. I was thought of. It means when I walked in, this little person thought “wow, I would like this adult to help supervise me and a bunch of my friends.”
This was a great feeling I had going here. Like when you receive mail addressed to you that isn’t a bill or junk mail. Or an email sent to you that isn’t junk, spam or some retarded chain letter. Someone thought of me. Yep, I was going to a birthday party. And as I gave the boy a hug goodbye, I pinned the shoulders back with a feeling of pride. A little more giddy-up in my step as I headed off for work.
It was at that moment my new found jolt of confidence ended before it even really started. As I start to walk towards the door, the boy’s teacher looks at me and says “her birthday is in December.” Crushed, just like that. And she said it with such distain, such jealousy, such hatred. I mean, was she really that jealous that one of her students invited me? Was I invited and not her, therefore causing her envy? Perhaps.
But as I paused to look back at the classroom, I realized she was just pointing out that this little girl really had no clue what she was talking about. Granted, I thought her birthday was tomorrow or maybe this weekend. But in reality, kids—especially 5 year olds—have no clue what day it is let alone when their birthday is. In their head, every day is a birthday. And as I am standing there one thing came to my mind–the movie One Flew Over The Cookoo’s Nest.
Seriously, it is straight craziness amongst the little people. You have the one kid asleep on the floor with his coat draped over him. A couple of other kids hitting themselves on the head with one of those faux cardboard bricks. Another kid in the corner talking to herself. A few more just running in a circle. Others crying uncontrollably. All the while Nurse Ratched……ahem…..the teacher trying to round them up to take their medicine. Or eat breakfast in this case.
But bottom line, I was invited to a birthday party. What are you doing in December?
