Team Ahimsa ~ Blog Relay ~ Richard

“Best Birthday Party Ever, Grandpa!”

Authors Note ▼

Written For "The WDC Birthday Bash Blog Relay"  (The WDC Birthday Bash Blog Relay) Day Six Prompt: THE IDEAL BIRTHDAY PARTY

It all started with the clown. Or maybe the pony that wasn’t a pony? Or perhaps that bouncy house?

Little Lennie, everyone called him Little Lennie, was turning seven years old. Grandpa, also known as Big Lennie, wanted Little Lennie to have the best birthday EVER!! So Grandpa started planning a month before the party.

Little Lennie liked clowns and superheroes, so Big Lennie found the best; he chuckled after booking the only clown in town who dressed in a hilarious, bright yellow superhero costume. What could be better than a dopey-looking superhero named Disturbo, with flaming orange hair and a flowing red cape?

Then, remembering how much Little Lennie loved the electric horse ride at the local mall, Big Lennie decided to get him the real deal. He called Famous Al’s Animal Pals, booking a pony for the party. Famous Al himself took the call, and though he sounded a bit loopy, he assured Big Lennie that “only the best (hic) ponies call themselves Famous Al’s Animal Pals.” Reading back the details (hic) he said. “A pony will be there with bells on.” Chuckling. “I mean saddle, of course!”

Of course, every birthday needs a Bouncy House. Big Lennie had to Google that; he wasn’t sure where you got those. Google showed several places to rent Bouncy Houses in town. After a mental shrug, he picked the closest one, Bouncin’ Bertie’s Houses of Fun. Another phone call and the Bouncy House was ready to go.

Swearing them to secrecy, Big Lennie shared his plans with Lennie Boy and Missy, his wife. Their job was to invite all of Little Lennie’s cousins and friends to the party and make sure Little Lennie stayed in the dark. Missy mailed out invitations to everyone’s parents, so even Little Lennie’s buddies couldn’t give it away.

Big Lennie almost forgot the cake; that would have taken the cake! But, about two weeks before the big day, he was looking at some Little Lennie pictures. His favorite was Little Lennie at a wedding; who knows which one, sneaking some icing off a three-tiered wedding cake. Deciding to go all out, big Lennie ordered a four-tier cake from Polly Pies Best Baked Goods. The first tier was chocolate pudding and bananas, and the next was cannoli cream, then came Big Lennie’s favorite lemon cream, topped by a strawberry shortcake. Something for all the pests in his family!

The big day finally came, a magnificent mid-Spring day, full of sunshine and cool breezes. Big Lennie’s roses were in full bloom, and they filled the air with a gentle perfume. Big Lennie was proud of his roses, and he worked hard to keep them happy and healthy.

The first to show up on that fateful day was Bouncin’ Bertie. She backed her beat-up van into Big Lennie’s driveway and hopped out. Grabbing Lennie’s hand in her huge, calloused mitt, she asked. “So where I am I putting da’ house?” Adding, “gotta be close to an outlet.”

Big Lennie pointed to the front lawn. “Put it there, the closet outlet in the back of —

Bertie rolled out the bouncer. “Too far, never reach it, no worries, I’ll hook it up to that circuit breaker box.”

A bit concerned, Big Lennie asked. “are you sure that’s a good id —

“No worries.” Answered Bertie, whipping a screwdriver out of her faded coveralls. “Do it all the time.”

The baker’s van showed up next; at least the cake delivery went as planned. The baker and his assistant assembled the tiers of the cake just the way Big Lennie had ordered them. It was perfect, and Little Lennie was going to love it!

A tiny Smart Car pulled up, and a lanky basketball player-sized man unfolded out of it. He got a bag out of the hatchback and sauntered up to Big Lennie. “Howdy.” Disturbo, the clown, had arrived. “Ya’ gotta place for me to suit up?”

A flash from the garage caught Big Lennie’s eye, but just then, the Bouncy House began to inflate. “All set.” Pointing into the garage. “Be sure to keep the kiddies away from that panel box, wouldn’t wanna wreck the party by electrocutin’ a rug rat.” The van started in a choking puff of smoke and rumbled off.

Little Lennie’s guests were arriving now, and Big Lennie was doing his best to shepherd them into place for Little Lennie’s arrival. The best bet was to get the troupe on line for the Bouncy House, which kept most of them occupied.

Just as Little Lennie and his parents pulled up, so did Famous Al, along with the trailer towing his Animal Pal. All the adults shouted surprise, which startled Little Lennie a bit, but he quickly got over it when he spotted the cake.

Famous Al staggered to the back of the trailer and dropped the ramp. He slowly backed its bovine occupant down into the street. A farmyard manure fragrance quickly replaced the sweet smell of roses.

Big Lennie rushed over. “Wait a minute, buddy, I ordered a pony, not a cow” —

“Names Al, not Buddy, and this here’s no cow" —

Big Lennie was pretty frosted. “Well, it looks like a cow to me.”

“No, Sir!” Beamed Famous Al. “This here is a young bull, ain’t got no horns yet. Puzzled. “Ain’t this the Bar-Z Hoedown?”

Disturbo made his entrance, his flowing red cape blowing in the Spring breeze. Offended by that flowing red cape, the young bull charged Disturbo. His path taking him through Big Lennie’s prize roses, and worse, through all four tiers of birthday cake, which exploded in a mass of whipped cream and fillings. Disturbo screamed and raced to the left, tripping over Bertie’s cable and yanking it from the box. The Bouncy House deflated, much to the dismay of its bouncing minions.

Little Lennie looked up at Big Lennie wide-eyed and laughing. “Best Birthday Party Ever, Grandpa!”

Word Count: 999

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