My Birthday Party
Having recently celebrated a birthday, memories of past birthdays came to mind. Fortunately for me, as a young child growing up in my Brooklyn home, birthdays were mostly a family affair. Instead of a party with my friends, I just had a “family party” and that was more than enough for me. Truth is, I wasn’t too crazy about going to my friends’ parties. I always found the games intimidating. Especially when they played two games that caused me a lot of anxiety, Pin the Tail on the Donkey and Musical Chairs. Pin the Tail on the Donkey was a frightening and embarrassing pursuit. You know the game but let me bring it back to you. Picture a bunch of kids sequestered in a wood paneled basement festooned with crepe paper garlands hanging from the ceiling. An adult blindfolded you and spun you around until you were so dizzy you immediately regretted eating that second piece of birthday cake. They handed you a paper tail with a thumbtack stuck in it, which at this you