Despite my own tendency to keep my own birthday celebrations rather low-key, I do enjoy wishing people a hearty happy birthday on their day. I like to keep a note of these dates in my calendar, and over the years have noticed that my list has grown significantly. Sure, sometimes I inadvertently overlook someone's birthday, and there are plenty of people close to me whose birth date is not on my radar. Rather than get worked up about it, I just take note when (and if) I do happen to become aware of their special day.
This past week was a big one for birthdays. Last Sunday, a young friend of mine celebrated her 16th birthday, which we all know is a significant milestone. I made sure to get the greeting sent, did my own distant celebration (which consists simply of extra happy thoughts), then prepared myself for the upcoming week.
Sunday evening as I was finishing my brief celebration in the pub, I bumped into another friend who, as it were, would be celebrating her own birthday the following morning. As we briefly caught up on events since the last time we had seen one another, she mentioned that she was aware that my own grandmother would be celebrating a birthday in the coming days. I was touched, since I had not expected her to keep up with the birthdays of other people in my family. When I asked her about this, she answered rather logically that she, too, kind of grouped birthdays, and if a string of them happen to all come at once, then one tends to keep up with them.
I asked if she would have time Wednesday evening to help me wish my grandmother a hearty happy birthday, and she confirmed that she would definitely be there.
On Monday as I arrived at the Kiosk, Mono greeted me with the statement, "What is this about gathering on Wednesday to wish your grandmother a happy birthday?"
That was the first thing I had planned to discuss with him at the Kiosk Monday night, but he beat me to the topic. Turns out he had run into our friend with the Monday birthday, and already gotten the scoop.
On the way back to Frankfurt the previous Friday afternoon, I had decided that I would try to rally a group of friends to gather the upcoming Wednesday evening in order to get on a quick video call and sing a little song to my grandmother.
Although I do regularly head to the pub for a bit of evening socializing and refreshment, I hardly ever make any real plans to do so. Because of the neighborhood, the variety of friends and acquaintances I have, you basically have a reasonable chance to see a lot of people you know each and every time you walk onto the pub terrace. That being said, I never really know who might be at the Kneipe. Sometimes, I have gone to the pub in search of a quiet beer and a few moments of collecting my thoughts, only to run into 20 people I have not seen in months. Other times, I head over to the pub looking for conversation, and spend the next 2 hours staring at the stars on my own.
I like this randomness, but when it comes to my grandmother, I was interested in being a bit more specific; I did not want to leave anything to chance.
That is why I was glad to have seen the folks the previous Sunday and Monday, and was able to make some loose plans for the upcoming Grandmommy Day.
Wednesday evenings, I do meet with a group of friends that have kind of a standing Wednesday gathering, but because I had not been in town the previous week, I had not informed them of our special activity.
During the course of Tuesday, my sister texted me to confirm the plan for the following day. She and I had already placed an order for flowers and balloons to be delivered to my grandmother, and had also coordinated with our father to get a birthday cookie cake decorated and available for when he would be taking her to lunch on her day.
My father plays a big role in the communication with my grandmother, particularly when it comes to video calls, on account that she no longer has a mobile or tablet.
As much as I wanted things to be spontaneous, I was forced in to some planning, as my father indicated he would make sure that they were available promptly at 11am their time, right when he would arrive to take my grandmother to lunch.
That made for 18h my time, which was not suitable, partially because I had a business meeting at that time, but more importantly, because I had told everyone that we would singing around 19h or 19h30, over an hour later.
I clarified everything with my father ("Dad, I will call YOU."), then got on with my work week, including the preparation for the big business meeting I had scheduled for Wednesday.
Soon enough, the big day arrived, and my meeting went rather well. During the discussions I let it slip that immediately after our meeting concluded, I would be organizing a bit of birthday greeting for my grandmother, who was turning 105.
It is funny to be on a video call with customers and colleagues when everyone's jaw drops at once.
I found it kind of special that everyone responded so positively and enthusiastically. I think everyone like to live vicariously when it comes to knowing someone who has a grandparent that is doing better than simply being alive and kicking at the age of 105. To some extent, I do understand the reactions of my friends in my neighborhood, as they know me and all about my family. But people I do not know so well?
Like I said, people tend to like a birthday, and if it is for someone who is at an age that most of us cannot fathom, you just can't help but get a little fired up.
Shortly before 19h, I headed across the pub, noting that the special invitees were already gathered, albeit at a table across the terrace from the friends who have their standing Wednesday evening there.
I kept a steady eye on the clock as I finished my first beer and ordered a second from the invitee table. It was almost showtime.
Right as we decided to stand up and cross the terrace to put all the groups together, a street musician walked up, pulled out his guitar, and started to play.
I finished my second beer as I waited for him to finish. I was not interested in any background disturbances (other than the normal buzz of a pub patio and the passing street noise). Video calls with my grandmother and father are always tricky; connection problems, audio problems, anything could happen.
Finally, the busker was done, and I quickly got everyone gathered, explained the situation, and then called my father.
Once the connection was established, I made sure my grandmother could hear me (and possibly see me), then made sure that everyone in the chorus knew we would be singing in English, then kicked things off.
My father and grandmother had just finished eating lunch in a burger restaurant and were just getting settled in the car. This worked out PERFECTLY as we all sang into my mobile. My father has the hands free set up in his car, which meant that the 20 or so of us were heard through his car stereo system, which ultimately meant that my grandmother got a full effect.
The whole event took, as you can imagine, a matter of seconds, just long enough to sing Happy Birthday, but it was a successful effort.
I gave a hearty thanks to my friends, then stepped away briefly to continue talking with my grandmother another few minutes.
As always, my grandmother was incredibly gracious and thankful, exclaiming how nice and thoughtful it was to be serenaded from Germany. That had been my intention all along, and was glad that my friends had participated and that it was so greatly appreciated.
My grandmother was already having a pretty big birthday week, having lunches or brunches almost daily, not to mention all the flowers, cards, and greetings. And, she had further events planned for later in the week.
We said our goodbyes, and I sat back down at the table, taking a big sip of beer. I could relax a bit, since the task of the day was completed. The rest of the evening, we kind of celebrated my grandmother as well as enjoyed the normal Wednesday conversations.
Thursday was relatively quiet, and I was glad. Celebrating a grandmother's birthday can be tiring, especially when a couple of schnapps are involved.
Friday afternoon, I caught up with my father on skype, and he recapped the birthday week of my grandmother. The important thing was that she enjoyed ALL of the celebrations, and was still talking about the call from Germany, as well as the call and serenade from my sister and her family in Spain.
The whole week, I had been having extra special thoughts about my grandmother, and continued the fuzzies that evening when I ventured to the pub for a few beers, bumping into a couple of friends who had helped sing two evenings before.
True, my grandmother's birthday was the highlight of the week, but here on Sunday morning, I have two more friends having birthdays, and one more tomorrow.
I just glanced at my calendar, and there are a handful of birthdays still to come during September, but the flurry of the week is just finishing.
It is already time to start thinking about what to do for my grandmother's next birthday, but until then, there are plenty of others out there that will be congratulated in the upcoming weeks and months.
See you out there
Bryan
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