Tuesday, April 19, 2016

on this day in 2005: excerpts from a journal, April edition.


19 April 2005

I had the best birthday in the world.

(editor's note: I would occasionally tape little things into the journal, and this time, I taped a little piece of star-patterned tissue paper to the page. The note by it reads: "Mom put A Separate Peace by my Instant Breakfast, and it was wrapped in star paper!")

So many people wished me a happy birthday... Rachel was the first one, followed by Bob and Meagan, and many others (including all of my teachers).

Tiff gave me my present in Spanish, and it's a picture frame, three bracelets, a penguin notebook, and socks. Too cool. In psych, we started Rain Man, which is the best.

In choir, Rachel and I were talking (as usual), so Mrs Gilbert told us to be quiet (as usual). Bob leaned over and whispered something to her. Sure enough, Mrs Gilbert had the entire choir sing "happy birthday" to me! 

After lunch, Nick gave me two birthday pennies (which can be found at the top of this page). 

We tested in bio, and afterwards, Bob told me to scoot my desk over so we could play MASH. I'm marrying Michael Jackson, 92 children, honeymoon in London, I travel by foot and he hitchhikes, I make $100,000 pear year, I'm a waitress and he's a male prostitute, my wedding dress was hot pink and his tux was metallic, and we live in an apartment in Boston.

At the end of English, Tiff came in with three balloons and a basket full of Blow-Pops for me. They were from Mitch and Darrah! I was so excited! Everyone was jealous that I have siblings that like me enough to send me candy on my birthday.

After school, Bob and I went to the city building so he could get his job at the pool again, and then we went to the school. We arrived at the same time as Sarah, Dez, Teresa, and Rachel. So we piled in the minivan and took off.

Bob and I told everyone about the twins thing (editor's note: a few days before my birthday, Bob and I had decided that it would be BRILLIANT if we pretended to be twins on my birthday so we could scam Applebee's out of a second free dessert), and they thought it was a good idea. I had told Rachel about the twins thing in choir, and she said to Allison, "If you were a waitress in Applebee's, would you believe that Bob and Calla were twins?" Without hesitation, she said, "Definitely."

We went to the dollar store first to get hats. Bob, Dez, and I picked them out. Mine was a pink tiara-thing that said 'happy birthday' on it, and Bob's was a silver and blue crown that said 'birthday prince.' We also got glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs and pointy birthday hats for everyone else.

We entered Applebee's wearing our hats, and we were seated right away. At the end of the meal, the waitress asked about dessert. "And I see we have a couple of birthdays!" she said. Bob and I smiled and nodded. A few minutes later, a whole string of waitresses came out, clapping and singing and carrying two plates with brownies on them. 

Our next stop was Walmart. Teresa climbed into a shopping cart, and Bob pushed her around. I dropped off some film, and Mom found me. "I'm glad you're not in the shopping cart," she said. "Oh, but I'm next!" I replied. Rachel pushed me around and looked at shoes (one lady - a total stranger - asked Rachel if I was a good baby) and housewares. None of the Walmart people cared; they just laughed.

We went to see The Amityville Horror, and that damn movie was so scary. Rachel and I would cling to each other and scream. That's the first time I've ever screamed in a movie theatre. When we weren't screaming, we were laughing because it was so scary.

Back in Arlington, Sarah and Dez dropped us off in the parking lot and left. As soon as I got out, I saw that someone had written all over Susie (editor's note: the name of my little blue coupe) with glass chalk. It said "happy 18th" on the side window and "happy b-day The Boss" on the back. Oh, Tiff.

Bob, Teresa, and I were all pretty scared (especially after Rachel said, "Remember those urban legends where serial killers hide under cars and slit people's ankles?"). We made a plan: we'd walk in groups to our cars. Teresa was first, and Bob, Rachel, and I all screamed when she turned her windshield wipers on. Bob walked me to my car. He checked underneath and in the backseat and said, "Looks like you're not going to die tonight." 

As soon as I walked in the door, Mom handed me the phone. It was Rita, and I talked to her for a while. She reminded me that I now can get married without permission from my parents (what a weird thought).

But seriously... best birthday ever.

Current music: "Chopsticks" by Liberace

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