My Birthday Story

I haven't found the time to blog in the last few weeks. I've been doing some thinking in the sidelines. Deep thinking.

Finally, I selected something to write about.

I've been missing on greeting some of my friends on their birthdays the last few weeks. Anyway, better late than never, I've greeted them post-event with my apologies (...my lame excuse was I totally forgot that it was their bithday).

Four months ago, it was my birthday. Come to think of it, I didn't blog about anything about my birthday then. It was too... extraordinary in a certain way. I think now's a good time to blog about it and keep it preserved as a good memory.

For my birthday four months ago, I had taken a leave (it was a weekday) from office. I was planning to take it easy: chat with my brother the night before to do some catching up, sleep for more than 6 hours on a weekday, have a special breakfast, then drive back to Manila in time for a family+friends-dinner-slash-birthday-treat at a newly-opened restaurant.

I didn't get 6 hours of sleep on my birthday. It was something like four.
I woke up to the sound of my mobile ringing at a pretty early time of the day.
I didn't hear any chirpy female voice at the other end of the line when I answered my phone. Instead, I woke up to the sound of a grown man crying.

How many people would actually hear a grown man cry on the other end of the phone? Probably one in a thousand. But how many people get that kind of wake-up call on their birthdays? Probably one in a million.

The person at the other end of the phone, one of the few guys I preferably hang out with, was asking for my help, desperate for it. He needed to find someone important to him. It was as if someone's life depended on it. He needed a means to get around, travel and search for someone.

It was a no-brainer for me. I offered him the use of my car. He needed it more than I do, I thought at that time. I decided that its okay to sacrifice some of my time to help out the dude, thinking that I'd make it in time for my birthday dinner at Manila anyway.

So, instead of having a special breakfast on my birthday I settled for a quick cup of coffee then bring my car over to him. I didn't make it for dinner at Manila as well, because I waited for him to get back hopefully with his problem resolved (and I was essentially carless).

He got back late that night, around 10 in the evening, and he was able to resolve his problem.

So where's the birthday celebration?

I still decided to drive back to Manila that night. Fortunately, my best friend who was supposed to join the planned birthday dinner party my parents planned for me was expecting that I'd call him sooner or later.

Two minutes before midnight, I was in a parking lot in Alabang with my best friend, a bottle of Shiraz each. I drank it for my good health, and for the relief that hours before I was able to help someone in need despite the sacrifice I made for my schedule and plans. At midnight, the two of us sang "...happy birthday to me...".

Not many people get that opportunity on their birthdays. I personally think it's one of the most unique birthday experiences I've ever gotten.

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Now, remember that I mentioned at the start of this post that I've been doing some deep thinking?

I was thinking that if it were somebody else who seeked for the same assistance on my birthday, would I have willingly helped him never mind the sacrifices I would need to make? Or if it was the same person but I knew him under different circumstances, would I do the same thing as what I've narrated above?

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