It’s my 6th birthday! The one day of the year I get to be the man of the hour, all day! We just got back from school so I decided to do my favorite after school activity. Sat on the couch, and turned on my favorite TV show SpongeBob Squarepants. I’m so comfortable that it’s unbelieveable, in the blink of an eye an hour and a half has past three episodes. So naturally I decide to get up and get a snack. Once again I sink into the couches soft and loving embrace, another two hours passes, four episodes.

Wait it’s 7:00 and today’s my birthday! As I jump up from the couch and run into the family room nearly falling to the ground with every step. I run up to my mom and tug her shirt nearly ripping it, “ Is it time for presents” I ask. At first she turns around with the look of a thousand lost souls in her eyes, but her look quickly softens as she says “sure honey”. I nearly exploded with joy, running from room to room and jumping up and down trying to kill time until everyone has gathered around the kitchen table.

They’re finally there, and with my favorite, marble cake! Time for my favorite part, the song! “ Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday deeeaaarrr Aaaarrrooonnn, happy birthday to you. Your growing ooooollllddddd!” The song, the song, they sang it perfectly. Even better they’re cutting the cake! As my soft, fluffy, juicy, piece of cake graces my mouth I can’t control myself anymore. As I bounce up and down in anticipation of GIFTS!

Mom and Dad are coming from upstairs now with a couple of bags that I just know are filled with unimaginable goodies! I can’t hold it in any more, “ IT’S TIIIMMMMEEEE!!”. My mom just laughed and sets down one bag and hands me the other. As is the custom in my family you try and guess the gift before you open it. I shook the bag so eagerly that I nearly broke it. “ ummm…. A game?”. I’ve made my guess. As I tear into the bag I quickly realize that my guess was horribly wrong. There’s no game, but something even better. A Power Ranger Toy! And the coolest one I’ve ever seen at that. It’s the Red ranger with his motorcycle included! After that amazing gift I can’t be bothered with guessing anymore. So I rip open my next few gifts in a blur, knowing that after this I can play with my new toy.

It's time! I can finally play with my new toy. It's sooooo cool the wheels really roll  and he can get on and off it. But naturally I’m having so much fun that my brother wants to join in and try out my new toy. But he never ever lets me play with his! So I’m gonna be petty, “NO!!”. He’s two years older than me but, he begins to cry. Suddenly my dad bursts into the room. “ What happened.” my brother instantly replies “ He won’t let me play!”. My dad turned to me with that stare, the stare only parents can make, that strikes fear into the hearts of kids. How did I get tagged as a villain! I’m the one who never gets to play with his toys, I just took revenge once! But my parents will never understand that. He turns around and beckons my brother to follow and they disappear into the void of the basement.

It’s been about an hour with my toy, and I’m pretty satisfied with it. But my brother and dad haven’t come back upstairs yet. I can feel my curiosity taking over, so I decide to go investigate. Once a reach the bottom of the stairs I peek around the corner and see them playing Halo 3! Before I even realize it I’m asking “Can I play!” but almost instantly my father replies with that same cold stare and a “NO!” as heavy as the weight of the world. As I run up the stairs with tears streaming down my face inside I’m torn. Wondering why would he say that? My mother seems to know  what had happened, and immediately embraced me. But not even a mother’s hug could calm me not this night, not this birthday. I lay in my bed still crying still trying to figure out where I went wrong.