The day was pleasantly ordinary, actually. I started work at the City just a couple months ago, and no one knows my birth date, and that’s FINE by me. I don’t really like to get that kind of attention, especially at work. I turn all red and sweaty, and it’s not super fun.
But my gifts this year have been unbelievable. It sounds so shallow, I know, but I’ve been really, really touched by everyone around me this year. It started with my dad, who couldn’t be here for my birthday (he’s in Australia) and so he gave us a couple of Senators tickets. The seats were amazing, and we were very appreciative of the gift. It was such a fun night!
Then last night I went out with Ken and Nic, and we had a lovely dinner. I really enjoy the company of everyone who was around that table, and so it made for a warming night. Then we went back to Bayswater, and I got a card and nice bottle of wine from Kelly (omigod, she doesn’t have to get me anything!!), a spa GC from my bro (I won’t tell him that I’m getting a Brazilian with it!!) and a weekend in Montreal with my mom (I leave tomorrow morning). I was so overwhelmed, and then Angelo, who had been quiet the whole time, looked at me with a big grin on his face and pointed to a small bag in the corner of the living room. Oh yeah, I thought, his present. I was sure that they were gloves, because I’ve been riding around town in my knit mittens that are just not warm enough for our upcoming winter. But when I picked up the bag for the first time, it was heavy. What could this be? I had no idea. I opened it and the first thing I saw was a camera bag just like his own. I took it out of the bag and started to cry. I hadn’t even seen the rest of it, but I knew. He bought me a camera.
For the past two years, I’ve been yearning for a camera of my own – not because Angelo’s a big hog or anything, god knows he lets me use his camera whenever I can. But it was HIS camera. I was there when he bought it, and I saw how he experimented with it, and used it so earnestly. He really enjoyed his camera, and I wanted one of my own. But you know, cash money was sparse, and from one pay to the next there was never any money left over for such a large purchase. So I snuck his camera into my bag whenever he left it behind – but there were always conflicting events that left mine undocumented (the saddest of which is the tree climb, I think).
But all of that is over now, because I have my very own beautiful camera. I didn’t mean to cry, in front of my parents and my brothers, over some silly “thing”. But I did. It was so thoughtful. It was so exactly what a birthday present should be – totally extravagant, totally personal, and something I never saw coming.
Man, I’m a lucky girl…