Surprise, Happy Birthday Cowboy

Every morning in our ranching and farming community the men would always meet at the local restaurant to enjoy coffee and breakfast and to keep up with the happenings of the day before. Topics included: cows, crops, politics and solving all the world’s problems for the day. At 6:00 am – 8:30 am it was the men’s den!

On my husband’s birthday, October 7th a few years back, I decided to surprise him with a singing telegram at the restaurant so all the friends could enjoy his birthday too. I took the cake to the restaurant the night before so when they sang Happy Birthday the cake could appear. I thought it would make a memorable birthday for my husband and his friends

When I booked the singing telegram, I chose the dancing Gorilla in a hula skirt to show up at the coffee shop at 6:30 am for the biggest effect. I was excited about the next day’s surprise. However, the night before, the woman from Party Singing Grams called and said she was sorry but they were double booked and couldn’t come. I was so disappointed, all the plans seemed to be falling apart at that moment. She then suggested she could lend me the gorilla suit with the hula outfit, taped Hawaiian music and the birthday song recorded if I would come and get it.

I decided to go ahead, how hard can a hula dance be with music? I saw it on TV once, two steps to the left waving your arms then two steps to the right still waving your arms. I was so confident about the steps and music when I brought the outfit home I never practiced. Besides, if I were wearing, the gorilla outfit no one would recognize it as me.

After my husband left for work at 6:00 I hurriedly put the outfit on. My daughter drove me downtown, and I stood outside the window trying to get my brave on. Finally I went in, messed up my husband’s hair, took a pose with my arms out and pressed the button to start the music on the tape-recorder. To my shock “Credence Clearwater Revival” blasted out a rock and roll tune– she had sent the wrong tape! Stunned my mind raced at what to do next, so I just decided to try and make the Hula work. Lol

I started the music again and did the two steps left waving my arms and two steps right still waving my arms only at a much more accelerated speed. I thought that tape would never end, and I was starting to sweat. That was hard work in a gorilla outfit!

Finally, the happy birthday song started, and I just ran out the door, giving the proper birthday wishes and left. I raced home, packed the gorilla outfit up and waited for him to come home; all the while trying to pretend nothing unusual happened. The hardest part was for my daughter and me to keep a straight face when he came home. He described to us about what happened to him at the coffee shop. How some woman dressed as a hula dancing gorilla tried to do the hula dance to a “Credence Clearwater Revival’s” rock and roll song, very strange.

But the cake was great. He also added that he thought the Party Singing Gram lady had put on some weight because she was much heavier than she used to be! And by the way, he noted, her hair was blonde now, she must have dyed it because he saw blonde hair at the back of the gorilla’s neck!!!

It took me two years to confess that the gorilla was me, but when I think of the fun I had it still gives me the giggles. Thank you, God, for giving us a sense of humor, where would we be without it?©

Thank you for sharing your time with me today, dear friend. If you find and inspiration, love or laughter here, please share with the ones who might enjoy a giggle too.

Have a Great week, HUGS

Lovingly, Karan