“I’m sorry I can’t go to your birthday party today.”
“What party?” I say to Jimmy Gonzales, my 3rd grade classmate, who stares at me with those freaky bug-eyes of his.
Jimmy turns and heads off towards the butt-ball game on the other side of the playground. The yard is filled with children in blue school uniforms, chaotically moving here and there. The school day is almost over, and, the teachers of St. Anthony’s Catholic School always allow for a final recess before setting us loose on our parents.
In the distance I see Sean Kennedy about to do a fantastic dive off the top of the tire stack into a pile of cedar mulch. Frantically, I run straight at him, waving my arms like a monkey on a banana-binge. By the time I reach him, I am out of breath.
“Dude?”
“Do you know anything about a surprise birthday party for me?”
Sean considers his answer, carefully, takes a step back, and disappears from view. A second later he is flying off the top of the huge mound of tractor trailer tires into the pile of cedar. When he emerges, his usually perfect afro is now nappy and covered in bits of mulch.
“Yeah, man,” he nods and begins dusting himself off. “We’re all supposed to go to your house for a party after school.”
My heart starts racing like a thoroughbred at the Long Acres track. I am having a birthday party. My first birthday party. My first surprise birthday party.
* * *
Birthday Jukes, is a non-fiction short-story work in progress. Copyright © 2008, Do You KNOW Clarence?™ All rights reserved.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Like I just told you on IM:
“that shit is fire
complete fire
u need to write a book
i was enthralled
you are an excellent storyteller
memoir time
i’m serious”
I love it! i love it! I already LOVE it! more more more!
Great setup. Made me want more, but then there wasn’t any :( I’ll just have to be patient.
Respect.
Smiling and remembering…..You ARE a GREAT storyteller.
More…please.
No fair! I want to hear how it ends!
Find this by way of twitter…love the mulch in the afro…great set up…
Just found you thanks to Chris Brogan. LOVE your video, love your audio, love this blog! So were you happy you found out, or would you have rather been totally surprised? Great story!
Lara, ‘preciate the compliments on the piece. It’s almost finished and I’m pretty excited about it (why do short pieces take SO long to write?!?)
I was in fact happy to find out — and that wasn’t even the best part of this story. More to come…’preciate you stoppin’ through. Feel free to holla anytime.