For my birthday, I wanted to hear the end of everyone's sentences. That was the whole brief. Last year's bar had a speaker directly above our table, and I still did not know whether Clara had accepted the job.
This year I suggested a bathhouse afternoon followed by cake at my flat. People could join either part. I gave them the likely cost before asking for a yes, which made the group chat noticeably easier to answer.
One friend wanted the whole afternoon. Another could manage cake. Clara said she would bring plates, then remembered that I lived in a home and probably owned some.
We left a gap between the plans.
I did not book dinner immediately afterwards. I wanted time to get changed, travel home and put the kettle on without watching six people hurry on my behalf.
We checked that the session suited our group and where conversation was welcome. We took different breaks, then met for tea. Clara started the job story just as someone asked where we had put the cake. It was at my flat. We had time to finish our tea before going to find it.
On the way home we bought milk. It was an extremely ordinary errand to do on my birthday. I enjoyed having someone else carry it.
The cake was slightly uneven.
My friend had baked it in a tin that made one side taller than the other. We turned the tall side towards the window for a photograph, then ate it from every direction.
The drawer contained three candles. We used them without attempting to make the arithmetic meaningful. Someone asked whether I wanted a speech. I asked whether there was more tea.
Clara told us about the job. She had accepted it, then left it, then found something better. This explained why the story had seemed complicated above the speaker last year.
By early evening the cups were in the sink and I was home already. The birthday had included everyone I wanted to see, without requiring all of us to want the same night.
Story details
First-person account ·
