A Birthday Surprise

Melford invariably woke up twice a day—first every morning, in the cosy bed in his nine-hundred-square-feet flat he fondly called “Happy Paradise”, and second was on the table of his office when at ten sharp, a load of string-tied files would be dumped by the clerk, Shemon. The second one always awakened him to the harsh realism—his Sisyphean existence of repetitious and mind-boggling work— where Sundays were his only respite, and were a blessing on his battered soul. 

It was Tuesday, October 15, and the day was more heart warming for Melford because it was his thirty-seventh birthday, though it wasn't a 'eureka' moment for him. The night before, he had some wild speculations in bed, that his wife Caroline would greet him up in the morning in a loud and sing-song way, “Happy birthday, Melford, dear, darling,” and his little five-year-old son, Deco would be up early with the grit of sleep lingering in the corners of his peeking eyes to make the day euphoric for him. Nothing like that happened. Evidently, Caroline had forgotten.

He was distracted, expecting a phone call from his wife, offering a guilty apology for her slip of memory. If his wife had suggested it, he could have requested the day off from his office, and they could have dined out. It wasn't too late, as the proverb says: it’s better to be late than never.

Melford’s worktable was placed right below a window draped with white blinds. He tugged the string and the stripped blinds rolled up, exposing the array of skyscrapers. As he gazed at them, they seemed to sort of dissolve into the white sky, turning into a vast sea with turbulent waves.

A knock on his door shook him out of his reverie. It was the ever-smiling clerk again with a tray crowned with a cup of coffee, a pot of sugar and a spoon—but nothing special for the birthday man.

“It’s a lovely morning, isn't it, sir?”

Melford’s restricted smile discouraged the clerk, ensuring his quick departure from the room.

The clock struck one; lunchtime in the office. The phone at the corner of the table was silent. Miraculously, it didn't ring once, even for the boss summoning him. Once he picked up the receiver to check whether it was dead, and was saddened to find it working. Placing the lunch box on his working table he looked at it intently, his expectations growing. Words flashed in his mind, “It may be Caroline’s trick to surprise me by placing a love note or a birthday wish inside the box”. His fingers quickly unlocked the side clips, and rummaged through the spicy-smelling contents, seeking the hidden treasure. He was disappointed; better to say that he was irritated. 

Sipping fuming liquid from his porcelain cup sent a domineering thought into his idle brain—maybe he has been losing value in everyone's life. He put the lunch box in his leather bag, leaving his coffee mostly unconsumed. His hand poised over the phone, he hesitated; then dialled the number. When the phone rang in his house, Caroline picked it up, making Melford's heart skip a beat.

“It’s me, Caroline”.

“Yes, I didn't expect a call though, is there anything special?”

“I felt like calling you?”

“That’s very romantic of you”. Caroline gave a nervous giggle.

It was confirmed now that Caroline didn't recall the day. Melford decided to cut the call short and leave the office. 

Even his boss had joined everyone in being nonchalant. “He should have remembered his employee's birthday”, Melford muttered in his head. After his boss granted him the afternoon off, he rushed out of the room like a caged animal released of its bondage.

Walking down the asphalt road outside the office building, he decided his destination would be anywhere except home. He took the sidewalk leading northward resonating with footfalls. Even though it was crowded with many walkers, Melford felt such loneliness. 

Exhausted from aimless walking, he entered a restaurant with a sign, “Bon Appetite”, over the swirling door where various people were going in and coming out.

Melford took a corner table with a single chair, the only one of its kind in the whole restaurant. The waiters were spinning from one table to another serving the orders. Melford was overlooked for nearly ten minutes before a young boy with very thick glasses swooped down on him from nowhere.

“Order, please”. His smile reminded Melford of Shemon, the clerk in his office.

“Veg soup and bread”, Melford said.

The boy, stooping over the table, scribbled them into his memory and asked, “Anything more, sir?”

Melford thought to thrust a dollar in his pocket and ask him, “Will you please wish me happy birthday. It’s my birthday, yes, my thirty-seventh”.

“Sir, anything more?”

Tugged back from his thoughts, he shook his head and beckoned the waiter to leave. He leaned back in the chair to relax, with his eyes closed and his breath smoothed out. 

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear”—a sharp female voice rose above the din in the restaurant. Melford noticed that two tables away an elderly man with a gummy smile was seated, and a beautiful lady holding a gorgeous cake of cream and chocolate was showering him with birthday greetings. A wave of clapping came from everyone at the surrounding tables.

This wonderful celebratory scene struck like a hammer pounding on Melford's heart. It was the most ironical moment, and he couldn't bear it. He unobtrusively left his table and was out in the sunshine again. 

The sky was bright and clear, but his mind was stuffed with dark clouds. It was past three, and he decided to return home. 

“Maybe Caroline has made some arrangements to celebrate the day. She has been quite quiet”, Melford murmured to himself. “Then, my sudden presence will be a surprise for her”. This thought helped Melford gather some much-needed enthusiasm.

He reached his flat on the third floor overlooking the Panacea hospital. Caroline quickly responded to the doorbell. The moment of Melford’s waiting before she could part the door seemed an epic journey full of bubbling conjectures that stood like beads on his forehead.

“Melford, what a surprise! Back so early?”

The very word “surprise” gave his dying hope a new lease on life. He smiled and entered. But his inquisitive eyes didn't meet anything special, even Caroline was in her usual attire. Deco was playing with a toy car on the dining table, and saw his father let out a joyous scream, “Papa, come, look, this car is amazing”.

He felt the blessing of the family even in this heart-breaking moment. They had an early dinner with the simplest items possible—nothing that Melford would have loved to relish to feel special. It was like any other of the three-hundred-and-sixty-four days of his life.

Caroline put Deco to bed and retired to their room, exhausted from the day. To lighten his burdened heart, Melford took refuge in wine while lying on the living room sofa. He drank quite a bit, and soon he was dizzy—but it gave him temporary respite from his torturous thoughts. Disappointed and sad, his body sunk into the sofa like a skeleton with broken limbs. 

He sort of woke up, his hangover making him groggy and unsure. Melford yawed and tried to shake off the sleep that clung to him like leeches. He opened his eyes, and there were Caroline and Deco with loud cries of, “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Melford”.

“Happy birthday, Papa”, the little one joined in. 

Melford was so very confused. “It’s twelve midnight of October 15, Melford, your birthday. How can you be so surprised?”

Melford thought he had risen from a profound and long sleep where a day had lapsed. He looked at the wall clock showing twelve, and then back to the table showing the flip-over calendar on the stand, displaying 15 in dark black digits. To Caroline’s surprise, he walked towards the calendar, picked it up and flipped the previous page, he discovered the date—October 13. The fourteenth had stuck to its back. 

Every day his dutiful wife would change the dates, and she had probably overlooked the two that were glued. The mystery was solved for Melford, and he never told Caroline what he felt during the day. It was a pleasant mistake, of course. 

“Oh, darling, thank you so much”, Melford said, returning to embrace his awaiting wife.

“You seem to be surprised!”

“Surprises are really pleasant, aren’t they?” Melford said.

The room was now glowing in the happiness of a celebration, not only of a birthday but also of faith, love and togetherness.