A Guest Post by Heidi R. Kling

So I have a love-hate relationship with birthday parties, specifically surprise parties. On one hand I hopelessly love birthday attention, I get all campy am pleased as spiked punch to smile for many-a-picture, basically it's a Tiny Cooperesque nightmare for all involved. But on the other hand, I worry about surprise parties because I consider myself very sleuthy and figure I will figure out about said surprise party because of said sleuthing abilities and then be terribly disappointed that I'm not surprised when everyone yells surprise.

I know. It's all very ridiculous.

But it's the truth, and well, it is what it is.

So on my 15th birthday I was all about The Beastie Boys and I got the cassette tape for my birthday. Ohh yeah, booooy and I was totally convinced no one was going to do anything for me---friend wise anyway. If memory serves, my parents presented the obligatory pizza and movie option where we all gathered and unenthusiastically blew those kazoos and yippee. So then I wandered up into our loft we had above our three car garage. The building itself was massive. Bigger than any home I've lived in since I've left home--it was unfinished and was basically a spot where we could hang our River Phoenix posters and journal write and light candles and cry about boys. Basically, it was awesome.

So mopily, I headed up there thinking no one cared about my birthday pout, pout, pity party, and I heard a rustling behind our lifesize Indiana Jones cardboard thing we got from Video-to-Go. Then I saw a shoe. A white Ked to be exact. Huh?

I tiptoed up the wooden, non-finished stairs and called, "Hullo?" Sort of Pooh Bear style without the honey pot. No answer. But then another rustling, more rat-like this time. Could be one of our feral cats? But the shoe.

Feral cats don't wear white Keds? Do they?

Still I pondered.

Then I saw a lock of white-blonde hair. Stick straight.

No.

Must be an illusion.

Why would a blonde girl wearing Keds be up in my party attic on my birthday when I'm expected-not-expected a surprise party?

So I went into the big house and didn't say anything.

I didn't say anything when I saw running giggling shadows cut across the pine needles. I didn't say anything when I heard cars pull up and stop down the road and let people out or when I saw liquid gold lights shine off the forest trees.

I'm sure you've guessed where this is going...

The little mice in the garage loft turned out to be twenty of my freshman homies and we ended up dancing and playing and cake fighting until long into the night. Well, until about 9:00 p.m. at any rate. ;-)

And when I went up the stairs led by my parents and sisters and they all jumped out yelling SURPRISE?

I really was. ;-)