I said “Hi” to the kids on my road, as I do every day and had five minutes to sit and chat with them today. A rare treat. “Do you know what?” Said one of them. “No!” I answered in faux shock “Tell me!” “It was my birthday this week.” She replied. “And what did you do?” I asked. She went silent. “Did you get any nice presents?” I asked. “My cousin made me a bracelet” she said, pointing to jumble of loom bands proudly adorning her wrist. “And did you have any cake?” I asked and she went silent again. “Her Mum works really long hours… And erm well…” Her cousin chipped in. “But I love my bracelet” birthday girl chirped.
So I went back to my house, found some cake and candles and wrapped a whole load of tiny things, beads, sequins, pens and sweets and marched back to where they were still sat on the road. We just had a little birthday party in the street and made sure that every time we cut the cake we all made a wish for ourselves and for everyone.
As I went to leave, the little birthday girl whispered to me “I wished no one’s Mummy had to work so hard they forgot birthdays. Do you think it will come true?” Maybe we could all pull together so that one day her dream could be fulfilled.