I’m going to close down this blog in a few months and replace with a website over which I have more formatting control. In that process, I will edit and regroup everything I have written. The new sight will be easier to read, and much more enticing to new visitors. I give thanks to the twenty or so returning readers I’ve had over the last fifteen months. It’ll be easier for me to publish the plays and short novels I’m writing. I’m finally starting to get serious about this little hobby of mine. Sarah’s Chronicles are almost over, but don’t fret, I have greater projects planned for the future. However, I will not close this blog until I reach my original goal of 100 posts. Here’s too my future and your entertainment: Woot!
Birthday Wishes
Rod Tanzol
“Happy birthday, Sarah” our heroine heard countless times throughout the day. She received that message through every form: through voices, text messages, emails, birthday cards, voice mail, and even skywriting—although she may have simply imagined that one.
She was seventeen on this day. Her junior year was over, she had finished her summer homework, and she had nothing to do but relax. She had taken her SAT in March, score over 9000—2020 actually—on that demonic test, and she had forgotten about it completely. She asked some teachers for letters of recommendation, written her college admission essays, and filled out some applications for colleges. Sarah Cruz was ready for her future. Now only if she need not suffer through her senior year…
At breakfast, her parents gave her gifts. They were as good as any other year. The severe recession has caused her mother to involuntarily take furload days at the department store at which she work, but her father, the mechanic, had seen an increase in business selling parts from used cars. Her parents’ gifts did not interest her though.
That afternoon, a package arrived in the mail. Both her parents were out. Her boyfriend had stupidly put his mailing information as the return address. Sarah wondered, “Why did he send it himself? He normally orders my gifts online and sends them directly to me. Maybe he spent the time and bought it in a store himself, or maybe it’s something cheap he got for free!” She opened the brown UPS package slowly. She used a scoring knife to cut the tape; she undid the box’s flaps slowly. She removed the plastic airbags and bubble rap excitedly. She was about to be extraordinarily pleased of upset beyond all means. Beneath lay an almost magical gift. She removed her gift from the brown box and smiled. She held an amazing pair of BOSE headphones. Taped to them was a plainly and sloppily written note that read, “You’ll get good use of these on your trip!”
The gift pleased Sarah many times over; her musical and audible problems were solved forever! Well, at least that’s how one should feel with a BOSE product. She dashed to her computer, and she skyped him. He answered the video call, “Happy Birthday!”
Gift-in-hand, Sarah responded ecstatically, “Thank you so much; I love you! I was expecting shoes, but this is amazing!”
He blushed. She gleamed. The rest of the call was silent, and Sarah forgot to question the hand-written note that accompanied her gift. It didn’t matter though. It was only ten in the morning, and she had an amazing day!
That evening, Nikki called her over for a late lunch. Sarah dressed well, as usual. Nikki wore a more casual attire. They went to a small restaurant in town. The name didn’t matter as long as Sarah enjoyed the food there. When they got there, however, it was seemingly quiet. The hostess led the two into the back room. Sarah was excited, and she knew what this meant: SURPRISE PARTY!
About thirty friends greeted the birthday girl. This was the best birthday she had ever had. The group ate, chatted, and danced more appropriately than one might assume that teenagers would. Most of them were nerdier than the average teen. The day excited her. She received a few small gifts after the cake. The most important gift, however, came in a small envelope.
Joe and Nikki took turns explaining. Nikki began, “We know how much you miss him…”
Joe continued where Nikki slowed down, “So, we all chipped in and got you train tickets to Canada so you can see him.”
Nikki added, “We know how much you wanted to do this, but we also know how indecisive you are.”
Joe commented, “Yeah, Sarah, we were afraid you back down and never try!”
Nikki finished, “Because of that, we made the decision for you! You’re going to Canada, and you’ll love it! Cisco already knows that you’re coming. He’ll pick you up at the station and then bring you to his home in Ontario. The train leaves at noon in exactly one week. We’ll bring you to Penn Station in the city, and that’ll be it.”
Sarah started crying tears of joy. She thanked everyone, and the guests started congratulating her. Sarah made her rounds, and the party dwindled down after this. Everyone said his or her appropriate farewell. The party eventually cleared, and everything was cleaned. Sarah went home with Nikki, and she went to bed content beyond her wildest dreams.
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