Jamesy and Twisty, at her birthday party
I’ve been involved in a recent web of trickery and deceit. I can admit it now, since it’s all out in the open. It’s always been difficult for Twisty (my younger sister) to have a special birthday. She’s a New Year’s baby, as is one of my dear friends. Do you know how hard it is to plan something special for someone, when their birthday is the first day of the New Year? So not easy. In our younger days, everyone was either hung over or still trying to find their shoes. Or their way home.
I did manage to throw her a surprise birthday party once, but it was the weekend AFTER her actual birthday. So, I think I’m a bit excused for my recent deceptive behavior. Neither one of us could afford to fly home for Christmas this year, and that was hard for the whole family. Plus, this year was a big birthday for Twisty, and she knew I was coming to visit her for that. What she didn’t know was that our parents were going to be there weeks earlier than their annual trip, a day before her birthday. We had a plan, mom and I had it all mapped out. They would drive down a few weeks before expected, and arrive on December 31st. There was an agreement to tell no one, since that would be just more reason for either one of us to accidentally blow it. Then, The Diller (my older sister) said to me on the phone, “Mom and Doug are going to be there, aren’t they?!” Okay, my ability to lie is like my ability to bowl. It’s either a strike, or a gutter ball. Anyway, I hissed to The Diller, “If mom EVER finds out that I told you, she will have my hide.” The Diller wanted to come and surprise Twisty AND the Parental Units. I agreed that this would be awesome. Unfortunately, The Diller ran into the same high-priced airfare that Twisty and I had, and couldn’t make it. Here’s how it went down with Mom & Doug arriving:
The scene: Twisty and I, in her town home, playing Sega Saturn, which I had brought as a gift to her. (WHAT? I have to play up my part!) Twisty’s phone rings:
Twisty: “Hello?”
Parental Units: “Hey, Happy Birthday! Guess how cold it is in South Dakota! Lie…lie…lie.”
The scene: Doorbell rings…
Twisty: “Jamesy, get that….it’s probably a delivery.”
Jamesy: Answers door, it’s the Parental Units, as expected…mom on the phone to Twisty inside. “Hey, TWISTY… it is a delivery, but they need a signature!”
Twisty: “Okay, here… talk to mom.”
Heh. They were on her front porch with Santa hats on. And then, we had a get together the next day at the Legion, and lots of family and friends turned out. I would like to think that Twisty had a great birthday, and it seems like that’s the case.
My New Year’s resolution is to only lie if it’s for a good cause. Hey, I don’t feel like I broke that one last year!