How Could I Say No?

Last year I had the unpleasant experience of attending a 2 year old's birthday party at Chuck E Cheese, which was slightly more fun than getting my annual teeth cleaning.  I realize it's not all about me, so I didn't mind the screaming kids and the rubberized pizza.  My main complaint was how the whole thing felt so industialized.  The party room had multiple tables, with one lucky birthday boy or girl heading each table, waiting for their recognition of their special day.  After herding a dozen kids to the table for the scheduled show time, we sat waiting for some teenage kid in a Chuck E Cheese costume to show up and reward each child with his 15 seconds of individualized attention.

And we waited.  And waited.  Apparently Chuck was doing double duty as the short order chef or out taking a smoke break because he was no where to be found.  If you think that a bunch of kids who would rather be playing any number of video games rather than sitting around a table waiting for a giant mouse to make his appearance would get bored and annoyed at this delay, you are grossly underestimating the impatience and inpertinence of children. 

Finally the giant furry creature showed up, and we sang Happy Birthday while Chuck E. made his way down the line and put an inflatable crown on each kid's head and they blew out their candles.  Then it was on to the next kid.  I'm surprised they didn't simplify the procedure by making an assembly line and putting the kids on a conveyor belt.  I have to give credit to the teenage girls trying their best to keep everyone's attention and get everyone to sing their birthday songs while Chuck danced in that odd way that all mascots have to try to express themselves without speaking.  They showed an indefatigable spirit that must be Herculean to muster by the third day on the job.  After that event I determined that I was done with formal birthday parties with hordes of children.

Then today I got a call from the 2 year old's mom.  She tells me that the little guy decided he wants me to come to his 3rd birthday party.  Knowing my feelings on such events she told him he would have to call and ask me himself.  Suprisingly, he exuberantly agreed to do so.  She thought he might forget but after dinner he reminded her that he needed to call me, so she placed the call and put him on the phone.  He asked me if I would come to his birthday party, and proceeded to let me know that it would be at McDonalds, he was going to have a construction theme, and he would be blowing out his construction candles.  After we chatted for a couple of minutes, mom told him it was time to get off the phone and so I told him I would see him tomorrow and he said "Bye, I love you".

How could I say no to that!  That little guy totally melted my heart.  So if you're looking for me tomorrow around 2 O'clock, I'll be the dude with no kids at the McDonald play land with a big smile on my face, thoroughly enjoying myself.