My Surprise Birthday Party

I was leaving to go to college in a couple of days. This could only mean one thing: my church was going to throw me a surprise goodbye party. I don’t like to be fooled with or surprised. So during the last week or so before leaving for college I was very observant. I eavesdropped on all phone calls, I read into every eye twitch that my mom or my sister made, and I was constantly aware whenever my mom was baking.

Three days before I left on a Saturday, the same day my church has youth group, my Mom was in the kitchen baking a cake. I had caught her. I figured that she would take the cake to church the next day to share with the church and give me a “surprise” party. I could not believe that she was baking my goodbye cake in plain view of me! If they had wanted to keep it a surprise they could have ordered a cake. My family is obviously not skilled at throwing surprise parties.

I decided to test my mom. What excuse would she give for making the cake. Would she get nervous answering and try to cover up her obviousness.

Leaning over the counter, staring at the cake I said, “So, Mommy, what is this cake for?”

My mom did not wince as I thought she would. Instead she continued with frosting the cake and answered, “I thought I would make you a goodbye cake for youth group tonight.”

Lame. All this time I thought my mom and sister were keeping a secret from me. And now, my mom was telling me she was baking me a cake like it was a regular youth group thing to do.

So lame. I had been hoping for a huge party, and now we were only going to have a five minute time frame of “Julie reflection” after youth group. So, so so lame, but at least I had cracked the code.

On the way to church that night I was imagining my entrance. Everyone would  probably say “Surprise” and then turn on the lights. No decorations. Only my mom’s cake would adorn a small table in the corner.

Once I arrived at church I was prepared for the great failure of a surprise goodbye party. Walking towards the front entrance, I could hear whispering inside, “Shhh…here she comes, everybody ready?”

I tried to feel sorry for my friends, they were in for a great disappointment. As I reached over to turn the doorknob, Fernando from inside yanked the door open and yelled “Surprise!” Confetti was in the air and striking me from every direction I turned. Inside there were balloons and streamers and two big goodbye posters.

I shrugged my shoulders. With my mouths sprinkled with confetti I said, “I knew this was coming.”

            It was the day after my birthday. My friends Ana and Aaron told me the night before that they were going to throw me a birthday party at 8:15. I decided to dress up for the birthday party. Secretly, I was disappointed that they were not throwing me a surprise party. Not that I would be surprised, but I love breaking surprise cases.

            “Jana!” I said to my roommate as I tried to figure out what earrings to wear, “I’m so excited about the birthday party. I love birthday parties.”

            “So you figured out the secret.” Jana said.

            “What do you mean?”

            “Well, you know, Stephanie was going to throw you a surprise birthday party.”

            “This has nothing to do with Stephanie, Aaron and Ana are throwing me the party.”

            “Oh, I guess they must have cooperated with Stephanie for the birthday party then. How did you find out? I thought it was going to be a surprise. I guess they just must have decided to do it together than.”

            “Yeah, I don’t know,” I said. I was smiling inside. My roommate just gave it away. Any surprise that they had was now given away. “It’s funny, you know. Nobody has ever been able to throw me a surprise party.”

            “Wow, nobody has ever tried to throw you a surprise party?”

            “Well, they have tried, but they have never been successful at it. I always crack the case beforehand and tell them that I knew all along.”

            “That’s so mean Julie.”

            “Yeah, well, I don’t like to be surprised by things.”

            “Yeah, well, I’m going to go shoot some hoops, see you later.”

            “Ok, bye Jana.”

            I decided to wait a couple minutes before going down. Since international students were throwing the party for me they would probably be late. The birthday girl should not have to wait for everyone else to come they should wait for me.

            At 8:20 I called the Commons desk worker.

            “ASC desk this is Annie how can I help you?”

            “Hey Annie,” I said, “this is Julie.”

            “Hey Julie.”

            “I was wondering, do you see a large group of people down there waiting for somebody.”

            “No, I don’t,” Annie pauses and then continues, “Wait, are you the girl who called two weeks ago with the same question?”

            “No, I’m not.” I wonder how many people go through this. “Do you see anyone there with a birthday cake?”

            “No, I don’t”

            “Okay, well, thanks a lot Annie. Bye.”

            I sat down and laughed. International students are always so late.

            After waiting another five minutes in my room I devise a plan to go down stairs and creep up on them. Following my plan I get to the commons and nobody is there.

            Lame. I thought. They probably forgot all about it. They don’t know how to throw a birthday party because I’m always the one that throws them. Mommy is going to be so upset about this when she hears. She’s going to wonder what kind of friends I have.

            I headed up to ASC 2, just in case they decided to meet there. In ASC 2 I see Aaron, Jacob, and Phil. Needing someone to sympathize with me I say, “Do you guys want to hear something awful!”

            “I don’t have time,” Phil says, “I seriously need to go play a basketball game right now.”

            Plopping down beside Aaron I said, “So Ana and Aaron were going to throw me a birthday party at 8:15 and nobody is down there! They probably forgot! Isn’t that so so lame!”

            “Really,” Aaron said. “That’s funny I knew nothing about it!”

            “Oh, my goodness!” I said. “So they didn’t even invite anybody! I can’t believe they forgot! Guys, this makes me so upset. I was so excited about this.”

            Jacob looked blankly at me as if trying to process the whole situation.

            “I thought surely they were going to throw me a party,” I continued. “Especially since Stephanie was supposedly involved. Unless someone is not being honest with me then I’m not going to have a birthday party.” Eyeing Aaron with trust I said, “you are being honest with me, right?”

            “Yeah,” Aaron said. “I knew nothing about a birthday party.”

            “This is so disappointing!”

            Just then Ana came out from her meeting. “Wassup Julie!” she says.

            I smiled at her, but really I felt like punching her. “Ana, I thought you were going to throw me a birthday party.”

            “Well, I was,” Ana said, “but I tried making a frog cake and I burnt it.”

            “Well, you could have told me! I was so excited about it.”

            “Oh, Julie, I’m so sorry let me make it up to you.”

            “No, it’s okay, you don’t have to.” I laugh, this was actually kind of funny, I was right, no one else knows how to throw parties.

            “No, I insist,” Ana says, “Let me buy you something froggy. Where could we find something froggy, you think wall greens?”

            “Sure,” I said, “but let’s do it after my Mukappa meeting. I need to go up and get the little cake I made.”

            “Julie! You made yourself a cake! I’m so sorry!”

            “No, you’re okay, I’ll share my cake with Mukappa since I didn’t get a party.”

            “Here, will you help me take the cake to my Mukappa meeting?”

            “Okay.”

            Nearing the room where we hold our Mukappa meetings I said, “Okay, I think I can take it from here.”

            “Okay,” Ana said. “No, wait! I want a piece of your cake.”

            “I only brought six plates! And it will be awkward to cut the cake for seven people.”

            “Julie! Please!”

            So I let her help carry the cake to our Mukappa meeting. On our ways towards the meeting room we heard Johann yelling. It seemed that this was going to be a regular Mukappa meeting.

            However, as I turned the corner I saw happy birthday banners. Stephanie was playing the accordion and everyone was singing along. The smell of sugar was in the air. My mouth fell open. I laughed as I tried to hold back the tears of surprise.

            “Guys! You had me on an emotional rollercoaster!” I said. “And you broke my record!”

            “What record?” they asked.

            “I’ve never been surprised before!”