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COLORING LESSON

"Guests first."

What mother hasn't said that? What child hasn't groaned to hear it? I sure did!

I can't even tell you how old I was at the time. I must have been seven or eight. And it was my birthday.

My mother and I had made ten colorful cut-out invitations, trimmed with cartoon stickers. We blew up about three hundred balloons. We planned several favorite games. Mom wrapped a bunch of secret prizes and take-home favors for each child.

We were ready for a party!

I could hardly wait. When the big day finally came, I jumped out of bed like a rocket. I blasted into the hallway, where about a dozen handmade signs greeted me.

"Happy birthday!"

"It's your day!"

"Have fun!"

"Look who's birthday it is!"

The signs were a treasured family tradition. The cornier, the better.

Finally, lunchtime arrived. The hot dogs were boiling on the stovetop, as the first guests stepped up to our front door.

Mom counted heads as the supercharged kids came in. I had invited ten guests, but eleven children now stood in the front hallway of our home.

We leapt into a round of musical chairs in the living room, followed by lucky leapfrog, balloon-volleyball, birthday charades and pin-the-tail on the horse. We crowded around the tissue-papered dining room table for hot dogs, chips, punch and other treats.

Everybody sang the birthday song. Then I made my birthday wish, blew out the candles with one whiff and cut the cake. We gorged on cake and ice cream.

Returning to the living room, I rallied my guests around me and ripped into the gifts. Finally, surrounded by shredded wrapping papers, I thanked everyone for everything.

Then it was over. My mother and I stood by the front door, passing out the children's coats and coloring books with new crayons. As the last guest passed us, I handed her the last coat (which was hers), and Mom gave her the last coloring book and crayons.

"Thank you for coming," Mom said to her, as she closed the door to our home.

"Are we out of coloring books and crayons?" I asked.

"Remember that extra guest?" Mom answered. "I had to give out your party favor. After all, guests must be welcomed properly."

"Uh, OK," I said.

Moping a little, I returned to the living room to play with my new presents. Looking under a large puzzle box, I found something special. Guess what the unexpected guest had brought to me as a gift?

That's right. She gave me a big box of crayons and a coloring book. A super-jumbo coloring book.

Learn more about this author, Linda Ann Nickerson.
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