The perfect birthday

This day is going to be perfect.

Should be perfect.

I mean, It'll be fine if it's not..

But still.

My mind quickly runs over all the things i want-nope, bit assertive?- would like for this "special day".

Of course, It's fine if I don't get them.

1. A book- I have been really wanting one of those Calvin and Hobbes comic books. They appear in the newspaper and just saying, It'll be really cool to have one. My mother's not the biggest fan of them,though.
2. A Walkman ? A cheap one, though. Don't want to be one of those bratty little entitled single children.
3. A good party. Last year was a disaster. The sheer number of all those unwanted people invited. All that extra food. My 2 best(?)-no, good- friends ignoring me.. Nope.
4. A horrible movie- It's kind of a tradition to watch a movie on birthdays in the family. Since a good movie is sort of a rare blue moon situation and mediocre movies are a bore, I have realised that horrible movies provide just the entertainment needed.Though the knowledge that I'm contributing to the Lavish life of a buff white guy in the industry does weigh down on me. Severely.

Still don't want to come off as a hypocrite..I mean, for me every birthday party is basically an invitation to preach on how birthdays are useless yearly social(ugh) functions celebrating the fact that you were born and used by conniving children into manipulating parents guilty they aren't spending enough time on their kids into spending more money on them.

Excuse me, but that is just sick..

Oh wait, it's my... dad. Let's pretend not to notice him as he comes towards me. Too late, a smile's already breaking out on my face.

"Happy birthday, Duude!" Internal cringe "Why aren't you ready yet? Go on, wear that black jacket your mother's kept outside for you."

"Okay, just going.."

My mom's calling me, she's holding up the phone. "For you."

"Hey."

"Heey.." ( Suave, wasn't it?)

I'm not blushing. Definitely not. I just don't do that. I carefully maneuver my face so that my mom can't see it.

"Well, Happy birthday..'"

"Yeah..um..Thanks?"

"..."

"..."

"So you coming for basketball today?"

"Yeah? I mean, no? Maybe? Man, I don't know..."

"Ugh.. God, Kriti...Okay. Bye"

"Bye.."

This day is going to be perfect.

We're at the mall.

I decide not to talk about capitalism and manipulative advertising. I mean, rivers of melted chocolate? How much can you expect of a child?

Quick stop. We start again. I have an ice cream in my hand, the hypocrite I am.

"So first, movie or the presents?"

I must have had a cheesy smile on my face because they smile too.

"Presents. Shouldn't take up much time.."

Book shop. My mom's grinning at me.

"So, what do you want?"

I hmm and make my way to the comic section.

Archie, Marvel, Garfield all in one shelf. God, sales people are so clever. But instead of succumbing to my temptations (giving in to the Devil, I say- Well, I don't, My moderately religious mother does), I find a Calvin and Hobbes book and it's a volume so bigger than expected but it is my birthday(hypocrite). I check the cover of the book to see if it has any "objectionable" images on it (I once borrowed a book like that and my mom freaked out).

It does have a picture of a naked tiger, though. ( That is usually how they come.)

Nature's beauty.

I meet Mom at the middle and I hand her the book. So does she.

It's a crossword book.

She's really enthusiastic. "Do you like it?"

Umm..

"Of course! How about this?"

" 2 books?"

I'm looking at the book but she's probably looking at me with that expression I can't describe.. Ah yes, The one that makes me feel like I'm a worthless little idiot.

Say no! Take the book you want!

"Fine, we'll take this one then"

I put the comic book with perhaps just little more that the force required.

The people in charge of arranging the books(do they have a name?) give me a look possibly as if to say-Brat.

As I'm coming back. I notice she's in the line to pay for the book.

Should I go and ask her to buy the other one?

But she'll probably feel too bad about it..And make me feel bad about it..Who solves crosswords anyways? (except old decrepit people and Stanley)

Am I too rough on her? I mean, she has just gone through a breakup-no, A divorce- and it can't have been to easy on her.

No wonder she misses Dad with his curious little smiles and his way of always knowing what was up with you, no matter how much you sulked or tried to ignore him...

Mom's already bought the book.

She's coming here smiling. A return a rather weak one of my own.

There's this growing feel of discontent in my chest until I feel I'm going to break down (drama queen). I sigh deeply several times just to make my point.

I decide to lash out by glaring at the back of my mom's shoes.

".......a picture?"

I snap out. "What?"

She clicks her tongue and for some reason, that makes me really angry.

I glare some more.

"Do you want to watch the picture now?"

I'm at a loss.

"Picture? But aren't we going to..You know, Walkman?"

"Huh?" She's busy looking at her phone.

I'm not going to repeat myself. She obviously heard me.

"Nothing..Let's go see the picture."

I'm not some bratty child unhappy because she can't have a Walkman.

It's fine.

"Okay! Let's go! "

He meets us by the line. He's already bought tickets.

He smiles at seeing us.

"Come on."

We're halfway through the movie.

It's a children's movie. No, not animation (like the one I had originally wanted to watch). It's some action thriller with 99% action and 1% romance(?) if one has to count the first time the lead actor and lead actress meet, when she almost strips down to nakedness and gasps at the brave heroicness of the hero.

I wonder how my parents are letting me watch this...

God knows where( or when) the thriller is supposed to be.

It's supposed to be a funny part but I can't bring myself to laugh.

Because It's kind of lame.

The movie, that is.

The actor's just doing back flips and exploding buildings while the actress' doing a pretty good job at eye candy and maybe I could've told my mom I didn't want the book.

Should've told my mom.

At least then I could completely blame it on her.

I groan, my chest rumbling and mom, smiling and laughing on my side.

I sigh.

Yep, This day is going perfectly...