One Great Day or Happy Birthday Mr. Duvall

This is the third birthday

Mr. Duvall has had

since I met him



The first year

I am not even aware

of knowing

when his birthday was



Last year

I gave him

boxers with a button fly

his favorite

and not easy to find

he was thrilled

and it was a great day



this year

a few weeks before

when we saw each other

I explained

that I had a special surprise for him

for his birthday

so we should see each other

as soon afterwards

as we could

because I was going to be

spending my mother's birthday

with her

and he had tickets to an Astro's game

so he was out of town



He said not to make a bother

and I said it was a pleasure

not a bother



I asked what he thought

his kids would do for him

and he said

they would probably just send him a card

he said it sarcastically

and then said

he had bought them cars

and spent hundreds of thousands

on them and their educations

but he would be lucky to get a card

He didn't need new shirts

or gift certificates

Remember when you got money in cards? he asked

and that was that



The day before his birthday

he called to check on me

and my trip



I reminded him to call

before he left for the game

the next day



he asked why

and I said

so I could sing HB to him

and he said

he was too old for that

and I said he wasn't ever too old

and he proved it everytime I saw him

and he wasn't too old for me to sing

Happy Birthday to you



He said,

well let's just wait til you are 59

and see if you want someone singing to you

or to even have birthdays



So in the interim

I found the perfect card

even though I had bought one already

this one was perfect

it had 4 kid faces on it

kinda like they were talking to each other

and it was in 1950's style

and said

Remember when you were a kid

and you got money in a birthday card?

and you open it up and it says

something to the effect

It isn't any fun being an adult is it?

and then it said

Happy Birthday

omg, it was perfect

and I vacillated over how much to put in it
I mean
I could afford the 59 dollars
but that wasn't the point
he wouldn't want me to spend that much
in addition to the cd I had for him
and then I finally settled
on 21 dollars
and a note that said
It is one dollar for every year
isn't it

nailing the sentiment home
that his age is just a number
not what defines him

so Sunday
I drove south
with a cd player
a new cd
and an exercise cd (freshly burned copy)
for a six pack
that I know he has
but he says he doesn't
due to beer drinking

(told him a while back
I would give him a six pack (abs)
for his birthday)

and his card with the cash

He hasn't been feeling well
so I took homemade
chicken noodle soup
blt sandwiches
and home made banana nut bread
since he doesn't do sweets
so cake was out of the question

I didn't sing HB
but I did sing
The Hokey Pokey
at a very special moment
lol
and he laughed so
it was a great day
and I told him
Birthdays
to me
are not about the number
but the celebration of life
and those that are in your life
are the most important to me
so I was glad we could celebrate
and when I turned 59
I would want him there
to sing to me

and of course
he had to figure out that number

it is a great friendship
I will always cherish it
even when it turns to
a more traditional friendship

and when I called
on my way home
at the time/place
where we usually check
to make sure we are both
nearly home safely
he answered the phone with

Don't bother me, I am listening to my new George Strait CD...
so I think he liked his birthday party
he thanked me many times
for the thoughtfulness of it all
and his delight showed
in all his reactions
and actuons
throughout the day

it was so nice
to see him so happy
after the year he has had
with the loss of his brother

It is so much fun
for me
to do things that make someone
I care about
feel good and
special
it was

One great day....