A Birthday Present

It was a lousy way to spend his birthday.  Working all day then spending his evening in school.  Of course, there were a lot of guys in the same boat back then.  They had left to fight as soon as they turned 18 and now that the war was over, they were married with kids, trying to get through college the hard way. 

He got off the bus around 10:30, expecting to walk the several blocks to his in-laws where they were staying so her parents could help his very pregnant wife take care of their two year old son.  Then he saw the car waiting at the corner.  Hey, the day might not be a total loss after all.  They had come to meet him.  Probably going to take him out for an ice cream or something.  Not wanting to admit how pleased he was at the prospect, he assumed a Joe Cool saunter and strolled on over.

"Hi.  What are you doing here?"

"Get in the damn car, " his father-in-law barked.  "She having the baby!"

They reached the hospital in record time, popped his wife into a waiting wheelchair and hurried into the lobby.  A nurse armed with a clipboard stopped them.

"She having the baby," the frantic husband announced.

"Just a few questions," the nurse insisted.

The figure in the wheelchair looked up and said quietly, "Oh, I don't think we have time for that."

There must have been something in that soft voice, or perhaps in the young woman's eyes, but the nurse handed the clipboard to the young dad.  "You start on these.  We're going upstairs."

Fifteen minutes later, his daughter was born. 

For years two running family jokes would be the daughter complaining that every birthday cake she ever had bore two names and the father compaing that she was the most expensive gift he ever received - one he'd been paying for ever since. 

Happy Birthday, Dad.

I'm currently enjoying: Apocalypse Rising by Maria Zannini

Groaner of the Day: Most people don't know that back in 1912, Hellmann's mayonnaise was manufactured in England. In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York. This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico.

But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York. The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost. The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss. Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day.

The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as Sinko De Mayo.