“Oh come on now, don’t cry,” Frank said. “I’ll tell you what, I’m almost to my friend’s place and I’m going to an un-birthday party. Why don’t you come along? The wolf will never expect it; you can hide out there and have some fun. When it’s over, I can escort you to your grandmother’s house. How does that sound?”
Myrtle sniffled some more, but looked much calmer. “What’s an un-birthday party?”
“Oh, right, right, I forget that it’s kind of a tradition among my friends and me,” Frank said. “Well, you know how you only have one birthday a year?”
Myrtle nodded.
“Well, an un-birthday party can be celebrated on any of the other 364 days a year when it’s not your birthday. You still get to eat cake and ice cream, drink tea, play games and open presents.”
“Wow, that’s amazing!” Myrtle seemed genuinely interested. “I want to come!”
Frank was pleased with himself for solving two problems at once. “His place is just up ahead there, past that giant oak and to the right,” Frank said, making a hole in the bushes and pointing through.
“OK, let’s go,” Myrtle said.
The two climbed out of the bushes and continued on to the Mad Hatter’s.
“So, if you can have an un-birthday party any day of the year besides your birthday, how come your friend doesn’t have one every day?” Myrtle asked.
“Well, sometimes he does — for weeks on end even,” Frank said. “I couldn’t possibly come to that many, but it has been a while since I have been to one, which is why I am going today. You’ll have to excuse him if he’s a little angry when we first arrive. He hates when people are late for important dates.”
“That’s OK, I’m just excited to go to my first un-birthday party,” Myrtle said.
“Oh, I almost forgot to get him a present!” Frank said. “Quick, help me find the most colorful and unique leaf that you can.”
“But there are hundreds of leaves,” Myrtle said. “Why would he want that?”
“Trust me, Bill loves leaves. He’s a very unusual guy. The more colorful and unique the leaf, the more he’ll like it. It might even make him forget we’re late,” Frank said.
Myrtle shuffled through a pile of leaves and plucked one. “How’s this one?”
“Perfect! It’s just the right mixture of green and yellow,” Frank said. “His house is right over there.”
When the two arrived, Frank was just about to knock on the door when Bill threw open the window next to it.
“Why, hello friend! Where have you been and who is this with you? Why do you look as if you’ve been crawling through mud? Aren’t cats supposed to be clean creatures? Is that a lovely leaf for me?” Bill was full of questions as he extended his hat.
“This is my new friend, Myrtle,” Frank said. “She’s run into a bit of trouble with a wolf and since she’s never been to an un-birthday party, I thought this was a perfect opportunity for her to hide from him. And yes, this is a leaf for you. Happy un-birthday.”
“Why thank you my friend!” Bill said. “You’re both so early! Why don’t you come in, and we’ll drink some cake.”
Frank looked at his watch and then looked at Myrtle, who looked at him. They were more than two hours late according to his watch, but whatever. Frank just shrugged his shoulders. Bill didn’t use doors, so Frank climbed in through the window, and Myrtle followed.
Inside, balloons and streamers covered every spare inch of the home. Myrtle clapped her hands with joy.
“Come in, come in, you’re the first guests to arrive. Thanks for coming so early. You must try my latest concoction. It’s my cake and ice cream drink,” Bill said as he poured glasses so full the chocolate liquid spilled onto balloons on the floor.
He handed them the glasses, and Frank toasted: “To a very happy un-birthday to you.”
“To me?” Bill asked on cue.
“To you,” Frank said as their glasses clanked.
The long trip was worth it; it was a very happy un-birthday indeed.
THE END
Laura Lee Bloor is an award-winning freelance writer living in San Clemente, Calif., with her fiancé Adam and their cat Phyllis.