by Veronica Perry

Created on: July 28, 2009   Last Updated: July 29, 2009

I remember my 18th birthday. I was a senior in high school who had a good paying job in a grocery store as a Cashier and my boyfriend and I had our own place. I remember thinking to myself, Today is a really special day and it is going to be a memorable one at that. Plus, in two days is Christmas, I thought with a smile. I was in the living room sitting in my rocking chair waiting eagerly for my mom to stop by. Slowly, rocking back and forth in deep thought, replaying over and over in my mind what mom had said to me the day before in our conversation on the phone. She told me, Veronica, you're really going to be surprised with your birthday present. This is something that you would never guess in a million years, she added. And then mom concluded with, For your birthday, let's just say, you will literally see. What is that supposed to mean? I will literally see? What kind of present for my birthday will cause me to literally see?

Looking up at the clock I realized that mom and her husband, Ken, would be pulling up at any moment. And about that time I heard a car pull up to my house and two car doors closing. They're here, I said excitedly as I quickly got up from the rocking chair and hastily rushed to the door to greet them. I opened the door. They were standing side by side at the front door with big smiles on their faces and holding nothing in their hands, or under their arms. There were no present in sight. Then mom says, Hi Veronica, Happy Birthday! With an anticipating smile on my face and eyes roaming about, looking behind them and in their car to see where my present was, I saw nothing. Are you going to let us in? mom stated with a big smile. Oh yeah, sure mom, come on in, I replied and let them in the house.

There was a momentary silence as the three of us were just standing facing one another with only smiles on our faces. You could just feel the excitement and the anticipation. Mom finally broke the silence by laughing, and I finally asked them what was going on. Mom responded with, We're going for a ride so get your stuff together. Well, you didn't have to tell me twice. I grabbed my purse, locked up the house, and away we went.

I sat in the back seat wondering where we were going. I hounded mom and Ken to tell me what the surprise was, but I got nothing. They simply looked at each other and laughed each time I asked. Finally, I gave up, listened to the car radio, and enjoyed the ride. I noticed that we were heading south toward Clearwater.

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