One day when I was a little girl it was my birthday. I was turning 4 years old. I remember that nobody said happy birthday and I didn't get any cake or presents. I was sad but too proud or too shy more likely to tell Mom and Dad that they had forgotten my big day. On my "fourth" birthday I thought it was funny that I had a little secret. Nobody knew that I was really five. They all thought I was four. When it came time for school to start I asked if I could go. Mom said that I wasn't old enough and that I had to wait one more year. I wondered if I should let the cat out of the bag yet or keep my secret. I decided to remain silent.
Over the next years I just pretended I was the age they thought I was. Nobody had a clue that I was one year older. I went through kindergarten and first grade. When I was seven I knew that I was supposed to be baptized because I was really eight. By this time I didn't want to tell anybody because they might be mad that I kept such a big secret from them. So I didn't tell anyone. When I was in second grade we were learning about birthdays. My teacher said that everyone was either born in 1977 or 1978. I knew that must mean I was born in 1976. When I went home I asked my mom what year I was born. She told me I was born in 1977. I did not believe her.
I decided to look in my baby book. I snuck into my mom's bedroom and opened the drawer with all our books in it. As I looked in mine I was shocked to see that my birthday really was in 1977. How could this be possible? For years after I tried to figure out what the heck I was thinking. The only thing I can come up with is that maybe I heard somebody say that it was August 3rd and I thought they said October 3rd. I don't have a clue.
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Weird. It sounds like people, who years later, actually look at their birth certificate and find out that their 'real' birthday was different, or that their 'real' name is different, or that they were an illegitimate child, or adopted.
ReplyDeletenice. hey, i think this story is totally true.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing about this story that might not be true is that I'm not sure if I snuck into Mom's room or if I just had her show me my birth certificate. Either way, I remember I needed proof and I don't think I explained what my problem was. Everything else about this story is absolutely true. How did you know that Ruthykins?
ReplyDeletecuz if you WERE born in 1976 that means it was the shortest gestation period for a full term baby, seeing as Sam was born JUNE 1976!
ReplyDelete