Birthdays

Flash Fiction

Birthdays

In the park, my required walk. Well, encouraged. I’m not good at ‘requirements.’ I’m seventy-seven, today! My doctor says if I give up walking daily, I will end up not being able to walk at all. So, I walk.

I enjoy the park. I listen to music, or the quiet, while I walk. Whatever mood I’m in, something that you can’t do if you’re walking on a sidewalk, with cars blasting by and bicycles and such. I was thinking about being seventy-seven. Do I like it? Do I hate it? Doesn’t matter… I’m here. Usually, a cake after supper with Andrea.

I was thinking about Andrea too, because her birthday was in a week. My daughter turning fifty. I had to do something to make her happy because she seemed to think fifty was terrible! “Try seventy-six!” I’d said! It didn’t make her laugh…

As I turned a corner I’ve turned a zillion times, I could see the tower next to the pond, but something was off. As I walked, I kept trying to think what it was. Usually there were lots of birds all over the tower. Maybe some kids scaring them. They hide in the shadow and jump out. Kids think that’s fun… It just irritates me!

Keeping my eyes on that dark side where the kids usually hide, I really couldn’t see anybody. As I got closer though, I seemed to hear some talking, hushed trying not to be heard. Well! I’ll show those kids a thing or two! I can yell pretty good!

I yelled, “Get out of there you brats! Leave the birds alone!” The door opened! “Surprise!” yelled Andrea, her kids, my neighbors, and my friends!

I fainted. But, I apparently finally got Andrea to enjoy birthdays, even her own! Win win!