Life: Chapter 24

I don't know if he heard the message or not, but he had made a little confused face when she said "Happy Birthday" on the machine. Maybe he just thought he was dreaming that. He really had no clue that it was my birthday yesterday. Still hasn't realized it today. I'm giving him until tomorrow to remember.

Even more amusing is that yesterday we had a big chat about the date. He had mistakenly thought he had a job interview on the 9th. "No, no, it's the 8th today... no worries, your interview isn't until the 16th." "Oh, phew, yeah." "No, you're right. I don't know why I thought it was the 9th."

Still. Went right over his head.

I always tell people my birthday is easy to remember: October 8. Like an octagon. Or an octapus. Very simple. Most people then say to themselves: "Oh, yeah, very easy. 10/10. October 10th." How they seem to make this logic jump, I'm not sure, but it still happens. So maybe he'll wake up tomorrow, give me a big hug, and say, "Happy birthday baby!" If I'm really lucky, maybe I'll get another duck paperweight . Or something equally as meaningful and symbolic of our four years together.

Yesterday my dad called me while I was on the bus. He left a frightful message about my mom being in the hospital. Something about her foot. I stressed out a bit, and then he called me three hours later at home to give me the details. We chatted for a bit (she's ok, although in a lot of pain...poor thing!), and not once did he mention the big 2-4. Then he passed the phone to my mom. She was fresh outta surgery, all doped up on morphine and exhausted from a night spent in the emergency room, but the first thing she croaked out through the fog was a half-excited, "Happy Birthday!!"

"Thanks, Mom," I said. "So far, you're one of two people who have remembered."
"Oh," she said, "Dad being the other one?"
"No, no." I said. "Kathy being the other." (Dear friend Kathy!)

Needless to say, when she gave the phone back to Dad, he said, "Oh, and yes, happy birthday."

I told my mom last week that birthdays have really lost their charm ever since I turned 16. That was the last exciting and important one. (I spent 21 in Europe, so it made no difference over here...).

My sister called this morning around 7.45 after being unable to get in touch with my parents. Dad had left a frightening message on her machine as well, and she was worried. After discussing the details of Mom's accident, she felt better. And then she said, "Dude! It's you're birthday tomorrow."

"No, no," I said, "It was yesterday."

Although technically, she was still on time because with the time difference, it was still October 8th in her neck of the woods. At this point, I'll take anything I can get. It counts, dude. It so counts. Three people remembered.

But the way I figure it, I'm probably going to be wanting to forget my own birthday pretty soon anyhow. So, the less I remind people now, the more practiced they will be at forgetting it once I turn 30. So really, I'm just doing some really effective pre-planning. Six years in advance. Alright! Way to think ahead, right?