The Party

The Party

The whole crowd was gathering. It was starting to get loud with laughing, fun, and friends getting together.

Dot and her girlfriends were bringing out plates of food, setting them on tables covered with colorful paper tablecloths. It was a wonderful day, so unusual for April. Warm, and not even windy. Dot had imagined having to have the whole thing inside but the weather suddenly took a turn for lovely.

The cousins and neighborhood kids were running everywhere. It was perfect. Dot quickly checked her own. Nancy, as usual being the second hostess, Jacky also as usual playing in a pile of dirt, and Bobbie Jean happily in her playpen.

After the food, it was time for the party! The cake and presents were snuck out as the kids ran around playing tag. Once everything was ready, the kids were called over.

Sitting in a big semicircle, with all the adults behind, everyone was ready. Dot asked Nancy and Jacky to come over and help uncover the “surprise” table. There it was! A huge cake! Presents all wrapped in colorful paper and ribbons! Everyone cheered!

As Dot and Nancy stood there smiling too, Jacky looked at her mother, then at everyone else, everyone was looking at her. Her stomach tightened up. She didn’t know what to do, everyone was smiling, looking at her!

“Stop looking at me. STOP LOOKING AT ME!” she shouted, as she burst into tears and ran into the house.

So, Jacky’s first surprise birthday party was a huge success, and a huge failure. However, there was one very important lesson learned. A lesson that proved to be true for her whole long life.

Jacky doesn’t like surprises, even “fun” ones...