Friday 12 May 2017

Pesky Jesus

In the pub last night, an assembled group of friends sung Happy Birthday so loudly and discordantly that a normally placid dog ran out of the door and down the road. I almost did the same.

I have always found birthdays very embarrassing and I never actually tell anyone that it is mine unless I am broke and need free drinks. Someone always seems to remember though, which I find amazing. I once forgot that it was my own birthday, only remembering the next day when I saw the date.

I know lots of people who make a point of telling everyone that it is their birthday, presumably because they want the attention. That isn't the sort of attention that I normally crave, but I suppose it is a part of their childhood which they never left behind. There are lots of aspects of my childhood which I cling on to, but birthdays isn't one of them.

My sister contacted me to find out whether I was 65 or 66. She is ten years older than me, so here memory is probably failing. She is also a Jehovah's Witness, so she didn't actually wish me a happy birthday, just asked how old I was. They don't do birthdays.

She was born on December the 25th so her actual birthday was always eclipsed by Christmas. I seriously think that her nativity was a prime factor in her becoming a J.W. - they don't do Christmas either.

At some point on Christmas night, someone would suddenly remember that it was also her birthday, and feel very guilty for forgetting up until that point due to the other excitement. She pretended that she didn't care, but I know she did. You could see it in her eyes.

18 comments:

  1. On my last birthday Mr. google was the first to tell me happy birthday.I also don't tell .

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    1. That happened to me once so I changed the account.

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  2. I think that being sung to on your birthday in a restaurant, or pub is very embarrassing. My family knows better than to try. -Jenn

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    1. It is a perverse type of punishment I think.

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  3. I wished you bon anniversaire at 5am yesterday when replying to your comment on my blog which said "Language". I wasn't sure what it meant but as I was talking about Paris I replied in French. I remember birthdays of everyone who gives me the date. I can go back to people I met years and years ago.

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    1. 5? No wonder I didn't notice. Thank you. I was being Timothy's mother.

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    2. You'd have noticed if you'd looked.

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    3. I do beg your pardon. It was unforgivable to have ignored you so. I will try to pay you the attention you deserve more in the future.

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    4. I am sorry that you felt the need to say that. A comment left is most often checked later for reply and I assumed (wrongly) that you do this also.

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  4. Tom, your sister's turning to JH surely could be linked to her having been born on 12/25. Back when I was working in the big law firm, it interested me that so many non-lawyer staffers were Jehovah's Witnesses. They never minded working on religious holidays, even those on which the firm was officially closed. Lots of overtime pay was on offer.
    I used to associate my birthday with the September return to school, but after 2001, the 12th of Sept has a slightly different connection.
    Once again, many happy returns.

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  5. I saw a man of your build, height, with similar facial features and mid grey curly hair - he could have almost have been you. Except that it was in county Offaly - one of your clan no doubt.

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    1. I don't quite understand how you are so familiar with my features after the fleeting glimpses of them that you must have had over the years.

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  6. My birthday is on Hallowe'en so everyone remembers it. As I get older I try to forget it.

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    1. So in your case, 'many happy returns' will continue Weave?

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  7. Lady Magnon's birthday is on Dec 28th. She still moans that she often received her Christmas and Birthday presents as one. Very annoying; no doubt you sister had the same problem.

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  8. I believe birthdays should be celebrated simply because the date one enters life is worthy of celebration. Imagine how sad your family would be if you'd been stillborn. The date would forever be remembered with pain and sadness. People like saying, "Hey! We're glad you're here!" :D

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