BIRTHDAY

Yes, it is my birthday today. Although, I must have subconsciously been wishing it wasn't. I kept forgetting, you see. Laurie rang me the other week to remind me to come to her birthday party [which I then screwed up by getting off work on the wrong night and then wasn't able to get out of it on the actual night] and she said, "Your birthday's soon, too." And I went, "Oh yes, I suppose it is." And then yesterday I ran to the phone but missed whoever was calling, and, as I thought it might be my sister in Darwin because she usually phones on a Sunday, I called her to check if it was her who had rung, and to see how she was enjoying the glorious musical compilations I had sent up to her with mum. She hadn't called, but we chatted briefly about my amazing taste, and then she said, "Well, I'll ring you tomorrow." And I said, "Why?" And she said, "Because it's your birthday." And I said, "Oh. Yeah." Later that evening I got a message from Laurie wishing me happy birthday in advance. Again, a double take. But really, I should have remembered. However, when I woke up today and got a call from my dad, and he said, "Many happy returns," I had to again go, "What? Oh. yeah. It's my birthday, isn't it?" Guy also remembered, and so have my aunts. But each time I have received the salutation, it has come as a bit of a shock. I seem to be quite mental about it.

So obviously, I don't want to be 24.

P.S. My dad has just returned home with my present. It's a carton of cigarettes. Awww. Got to LOVE THAT.