Every time when hearing a vehicle approaching my wife used to run outside as she was expecting someone or something.
Finally she said the neighbours are having a party and they have ordered some chairs and have asked her to receive them as they were going out for some other work.
The neighbour’s house is not well secured, hence I asked her to get them unloaded in our compound or otherwise she has to take the responsibility if any goes missing.
She gladly accepted and got them stacked up in our compound when the delivery van finally pull-up.
This was on my birthday.
Someone sent me a text message wishing me on my birthday. Instead of replying back with a text, I called him up to say thank you for remembering me.
He said he and his wife would be visiting some of their friends staying closer to our place and would try to drop in if time permits them to do so.
I was not having much hope of them visiting me as he was less mobile after a spinal operation.
Phone rang a couple of more times and a few more text messages followed during the morning.
Again in the evening my friend who wished me first called me up to ask directions to our house.
I warned my wife of their arrival and went out to meet them at the tricky place where many take a wrong turn and ended up in a place where there is not much space even to turn a vehicle around.
They were met and escorted home and the gift was accepted with a sad heart knowing that such an expense too even would be an extra burden to them but glad that they finally visited us on their own.
The usual welcome followed by customary tea and then I invited them to stay back for dinner with us and go.
Knowing my wife hates cooking, I was making plans in my mind to visit the closest take-away joint and then how I would drive them back home after the food.
My wife immediately responded with “Oh Yes, nothing special but let us have whatever we have already prepared”.
I was glad that she relieved me of one of my worries as I hate to go out once I am at home. Further to drive even a couple of kilometres even. Driving is no longer a pleasure for me.
Before their arrival, we were planning to visit our neighbour, friend and Best man of our wedding for a brief chat and come home for early diner
He and I were sitting next to each other for four hour on a flight the previous day.
Awhile later a motorcyclist pulled up in front of our house but I did not recognize him because he was in a Full-face helmet. When he called my name out, immediately recognized him and invited him in too.
He said he was visiting someone and thought of paying me also a visit. That was his visit to our house despite two of were working together for almost a decade in the same field and have visited his house a many a times.
I was curious to know how he got the directions right and then he told me another former colleague of mine had given him the direction.
It was dark and then my brother and his family arrived. They too settled in and still I was oblivious of anything but concerned that I cannot allow them all to go back empty stomach and also knowing how my wife hates cooking.
The Red Balloons the take away joint was keeps popping out in my mind. I though let me make a move now before it is late and waiting for my wife to give me some numbers as I am not good with planning foods.
Suddenly, I heard a commotion but familiar voices outside our house gate singing “Happy Birthday to You”.
The gate was opened again and they too were escorted in and the chairs the neighbours ordered too came in handy to settle the crowd in.
Now it was a crowd.
They were my former colleagues and as usual, the girls were hungry and want food immediately.
I pretended that everything was alright but doing some quick calculations when the boys started arriving with the same song and little liquor smell in their breath.
The Birthday cake and food followed and my niece started playing the piano when I finally cut the cake realizing that this was my Surprised Birthday party.
It was a great success and a surprise to me.
And after that I am happy knowing that how free I am because I suspect nothing even when the obvious signs are there right in front of your own eye.
That makes me a very happy and free man.
Following day, three of us (me, wife and daughter) flew away to Singapore to have a holiday which was overdue.
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