Think Out Loud [19] Birthdays

My mom's birthday is coming up in a couple weeks. I asked her what she wanted. "Nothing, really." (Mom, if you're reading this, stop and come back after your big day). 

What makes a birthday special? I figure thoughtfulness is a huge component. A couple years ago I wrote her a short novella. It went over so well I decided to do it again this year. I'm tackling Billy from my Anna books. I'm not sure if giving someone a story for her birthday is super lame or not. My all time favorite birthday memory has nothing to do with presents. Actually, most of the day was total shit. 

My fifteenth birthday started out with everyone forgetting my big day. We rushed out of the house to catch the bus. My friends forgot. I got in an argument with my best friend. In the middle of it, I lost my balance on the curb and ended up getting grazed by a car. I wasn't hurt, just scared. But that's how the day went. Everyone forgetting and then getting bumped by a car. When my mom walked through the front door from work, she didn't sing "I'm home!" I'm pretty sure it went something like this, "I'm such an asshole. I'm so sorry I forgot. How about Double Rainbow ice cream?" How easy am I? That easy. We piled into her car while my stepdad grumbled. We had an apathetic teen/Goddammit Robyn kind of relationship. 

Double Rainbow is straight from San Francisco. On the islands everything is shipped in, but shipped in from the states adds a whole 'nother level of awesomeness. No one was there because it was expensive as hell. I ordered It's A Goody. Oh my goodness. I still think about this ice cream. I sat down in the uncomfortable chair at the wobbly table. My mom and sister quickly joined me. There was no talking, just enjoying. Somewhere pacing around was my stepdad, grumble, grumble, grumble. I took one lick. Heaven. Another and I swear it felt unstable. The third lick sent the scoop falling into my glass of water. "Goddammit, Robyn," I heard in the background. "Just scoop it out," my mom said, but this was the last straw. I started to cry. "Go on, get another one. Go, honey." I hopped up and ordered another while my mom with her devilish grin scooped out my ice cream and happily ate it. I sat back down. Amazing, sooo freaking good, shit, it's going to fall! I could tell the damn scoop was going to tumble into my water again! "Oh, oh, oh," and bam. I slammed the cone into my forehead. My mom and sister froze. Until they broke out in roars. "What-" hahahaha "What were-" hahaha "I mean what-" No one could say anything because we were laughing so hard we were falling out of our chairs. More grumble, grumble, grumble from you know who, but us girls were crying in the very best way. "It was going to fall again," I said tumbling us into another episode of "I can't breathe," and "My face hurts," and "I'm dying here." It is my very favorite birthday memory.

I want to thank my friend Think. This is such a neat meme. I look forward to posting what's on my mind. I find myself paying more attention to the world around me. Come and join Think Out Loud and see what I'm talking about.