The start of my birthday celebrations
It’s funny how one’s birthday never changes, but one continues to be caught unawares every year.
Lunch was a KFC treat, which a colleague very kindly delivered to me in the office after her morning external meeting. Two pieces of fried chicken and I was already feeling very lucky and blessed. We were pushing hard for a major deadline this week and the stress was starting to weigh on me. Nothing fried chicken cannot fix, of course.
An urgent meeting was also called to discuss that Big Paper. I got ready for the meeting. Someone else prepared some presentation slides, presumably summarising discussions points we were to go through. As people settled down, the slides were projected onto the screen.
Click, the intro page…click, “And we must not forget to celebrate birthdays…” Oh.
Blink, the side door opens and the rest of my colleagues emerge with a birthday cake, candle-lit and pretty. Blink, there is a song. OHHHH.
It was a blurry mix of horror, glee, nervousness and gratitude. I was embarrassed, then happy, then embarrassed to be so happy.
At some point I think I said, “First I got KFC for lunch. And now a birthday cake too. Wow it’s the best day of my life!” People laughed, “You’re so easily satisfied.”
Perhaps I am. But I do hope people realise it’s not the chicken (though it’s damn delicious) or the cake (ditto) I was referring to.