“Birthday ni Miggy sa Sabado. Punta ka,” she said while I was flipping the card. The birthday celebration details were found at the back. The child’s 7th birthday would be held at McDonald’s Alaminos San Jose Drive.
“Seven na si Miggy?” I said it with astonishment.
“Parang kailan lang nag- celebrate ng first birthday si inaanak sa Jollibee,” I added.
“Oo nga,” my ‘mare’ replied.
I was invited to Miggy’s first birthday party held in Jollibee Alaminos. It was memorable as it was my first time attending a birthday celebration at a fast-food chain branch. I never experienced joining one as a child which gave me jitters. I acted my best not to be seen as ignorant. I was thankful that my kumare and her family were hospitable. My inner child was happy as I had pictures with the iconic Jollibee mascot. It was colorful and joyous. How time flies.
After reminiscing Miggy’s life milestone, we did catch up on life. Adulting hits extremely hard. More than a decade ago, we dealt with subject requirements. Fast forward, we shared stories of surviving, fatigue, back pains, and illnesses. We agreed that we are old.
Miggy asked her mother to distribute the remaining invitation card to his classmate. They left at 7 PM. I said to my ‘inaanak’ I will attend his party.
Saturday came and I woke up at 5:30 in the morning. I had approximately five hours of sleep as I binged watch TikTok videos after arriving from my trip to Bolinao with my co- teachers. But the tiredness did not stop Ninong Carl doing his duties.
I did not worry about going to the venue as my classmate rented the jeep that our classmate, Lynier is driving. Luckily, I was able to catch the trip. I had a short conversation with him. We stopped at Miggy’s house to fetch other passengers. The jeep’s benches were quickly occupied by children and their parents and guardians. There were two vehicles used to going to the venue.
There was no dead air as the children exclaimed their excitement, sang, and cackled throughout the trip. Looking at them, I remember how enthusiastic I was as a child when my parents used to bring me to fast- food chain.
We arrived at McDonald’s San Jose Drive ten minutes earlier before the schedule of the party. We used the waiting time to take pictures with the celebrant. My classmates and I had our photos taken. We really changed a lot physically. Of course, I had photos with my godchildren. I am happy to see them growing.
The party started at 9 AM. The energy was high as the party gang introduced themselves. The kids were exuberant on their seats while I was quiet as I was chosen to lead the prayer. I am thankful that I was able to do it without stuttering. After that, games were held immediately. The kids actively played “The Boat is Sinking”. They were fun to watch. While they were playing, I saw Madagascar- themed paper placemat. It has a maze, spot the difference, and matching type tests. As a person who loves solving puzzles and answering tests printed in newspapers, I answered them wholeheartedly. Spot the difference and matching type tests were easy. I spent more minutes guiding the characters to the city in the maze game. I finished answering before the kids stopped playing.
The host said the next game is “Bring Me” and that is what we thought. She asked everyone to bring ID card. I immediately searched for my wallet and gave it to her. I thought that I would win a prize. Then, the plot twist happened. The owners of the IDs were called to play the next game.
“Nabudol tayo,” my fellow players quipped.
“Karerin na natin ito,” I said to them.
There were ten players for the Word Formation game. We were grouped into two teams. I had the chance to team up with my cousin, ate Jen. We named our group Team Bigtime because of our chubby bodies. Meanwhile, the other group named themselves as Team Sexy as they are slim.
The laminated letters were given to us. The host explained that we need to form words from the name of Hamburglar, a McDonald’s mascot based on the questions asked. During the trial question, our team was competitive. We sustained the momentum as we answered all the questions faster than the other team. We won and we received coloring books as the prize.
I was asked to join the game, but I begged off as I got tired of laughing while I was playing the game. “Senior citizen ako kaya mabilis na mapagod,” I joked.
I watched the game. While watching, my eyes looked on the red, Happy Meal boxes. I remembered that McDonald’s is selling Jurassic World toys. As a person who is fascinated by dinosaurs, I excused myself to buy one. I could not contain my excitement while I was pressing my order through a kiosk. I chose Tyrannosaurus rex, my favorite dinosaur. When I went to the counter, the crew said that the toy was sold out. Suddenly, I felt sad. I had to choose another dinosaur. I picked Pachyrhinosaurus. I got my order and went back to the party. It was the time that our food was served.
As an adult guest, I received Chicken McDo with rice, medium fries, and apple pie. Honestly, I got envious of the kids eating Sundae ice cream. I remember that I have a fatty liver, so I just suppressed the craving. I am now health conscious.
The party ended with the appearance of Hamburglar. The kids were happy posing with the mascot. I also took the chance to have photos with it.
Who says adults cannot enjoy a children’s party? For two hours, this thirty-one-year-old adult turned into a kid for two hours. After the party, I went to bed and slept. Welcome back to adulthood.
I am thankful to my kumare and her family for inviting me. May God bless your clan.
0 Comments