Planning A Birthday

It always starts with this. Do you really want to do this? You may go ahead and consult your friends but they all seem to be more excited about the whole thing than you. They all want a party. Of course they do, they’ll get free food, your grumpy side will say. They’re all useless. It’s all up to you now. Time to go through the pros and cons.

PROS

1. You’ll have fun with all the idiots you call your friends.
2. You’ll get gifts. (Yeah, no matter how hard you try to hide it, no matter how modest you pretend to be, gifts are and always will be a very important part of birthdays. Apart from the materialistic benefits, you’ll get to know the truth about all your friends- do they really know and care about you? Or are they just bringing some random and useless crap from their homes? So you see, gifts are an extremely essential part.)

CONS

1. You’ll have to worry about-

Who all to call

The venue

Playing the hostess

Handling all your crazy friends

Being mature on your birth

Gosh that’s a lot. Just sitting at home with a bowl of popcorn, watching all those movies that have been sitting in your laptop sounds a lot better, doesn’t it?

So what do you do? Doesn’t matter because it will always be your friends who will take the decision in the end. Sigh.

You sit around a table with your two best friends, trying to figure out who all is worth coming to your birthday party. With the pen and paper in your hand, you discuss the list with them.

Friend 1: Okay just write our names first!

You: Okay… <Scribbling their names>

Friend 2: Hey! Why did you write her name first?

You: …

Friend 1: Because she loves me more!

Friend 2: Oh yeah? You love her more? Is that true?

You: …

Friend 1: Of course she does! We were together first, you just tagged along from somewhere…

Friend 2: We were together first, you idiot!

Friend 1: No!

Friend 2: Yes! Don’t you remember that time…

And you bang your head against the table as they both continue the senseless banter.

After a lot of the same head banging sessions, you come through with the list. Which of course isn’t what you want it to be, but it’s YOUR birthday after all. (Sarcasm, in case someone didn’t understand.)

PEOPLE WORTHY OF COMING TO MY PARTY

Friend 1

Friend 2

Friend 3

Friend 4

Friend 5

Friend 1’s friend

Friend 3’s friend

Friend 4’s friend and that person’s friend

Friend 2’s fiend’s friend

You know, it’s not exactly what you wanted, but the world is not a wish grating factory (Yes, a Fault in our Stars reference. You nailed it Augustus Waters, didn’t you?), not even on your birthday.

You don’t know why you always discuss it with these people, but what other choice do you have? It is YOUR birthday.

You: So what about my place?

Friend 1: Your parents going out?

You: Uhh…Nope.

Friend 2: Then you were seriously considering that?

Friend 1: I don’t know why and how she is our friend. Do you?

Friend 2: Nah.

Then you proceed to shove them out of your house whilst snatching the packet of chips from their greedy paws.

You finally decide the venue, this time without the expert advice of your two best friends forever, who, by the way force you to call them that. You, in the mean time are considering finding new best friends.

You stand in front of the endless stacks of clothes in the mall, trying to see something whilst your friends pick up random dresses, shove them in your face and ask,

“How about this one?”

“Hold this, I saw a better one?” They say in unison and run away to get another dress.

“Then why should I hold this one?” You say but they’re too far away to listen, and you’re too tired of them to shout.

While they continue to argue about something useless, you slip away, unnoticed and thank the heavens for bringing you right in front of your dream dress. You snatch it off the shelf and run to the trial room before your dreaded company can find you.

You come out of the small room like a celebrity on the red carpet and stand in front of your friends, posing like a model.

“So…How is it?” You ask, eager to know their opinion because you know if they say anything bad about it, you wouldn’t be able to buy it. But you tell yourself not to worry because how can anyone not like such a perfect dress?

‘Eww, what happened to your choice?

“Yuck that’s disgusting. See this one it’s way better.”

“No this one is better…”

You sigh in defeat and walk back into the trial room and take off your dream dress, which has just been ruined for you.

In the end, after wasting one whole day in the mall you do find a dress that all three of you can agree upon. You somehow manage to get accessories and shoes on the same day.

You probably shouldn’t call it that. But before you have time to think of a better name, your parents and brother barge into your room, unannounced and sing “Happy Birthday” for you. Your brother sprinkles confetti on your head and your parents give a wrapped gift. You proceed to hug them and then birthday rituals continue.

Your friends come to your place and complement you (probably just because it’s your birthday) and you graciously accept them. They engulf you in a bear hug and you finally realize why they’re your best friends.

The day continues, not as quite as planned, but then again, life is full of surprises. Nothing can be done about it.

In the end when you finally get all the gifts you realize that they weren’t the most important part. Your friends were. And are and always will be. The day was one of the best ones and when you’ll back at it someday, you won’t remember who gave you what, all you will remember are the memories.

In the end, most of the gifts turn out to be crappy, just like you’d expected (Perks of being a pessimist: You’re either being proved right or constantly surprised) but your two best friends forever get just the thing for you.

This time you initiate the bear hug and not because of the awesome gift, but because of the thoughts behind it.

So...What do you think? Comment below!