Surprise Party

OLeif dropped off Collette and Puck on his way downtown to Memorial Pres., that chill Saturday morning.
Collette had already sliced a tray of vegetables for
Mrs. English’s surprise 50th birthday party, which would take place that afternoon at Klondike Park.
Collette was reminded of Christmas twice that morning.
When the deer were out in the wildlife reserve in the early dew of the morning. And when she pulled the glass dish of Carrie’s Ghirardelli chocolate brownies from the oven. It was getting close again already.
The party went well – almost a surprise – except for a slip from Bing. But boys would be boys, and often absent-minded. So he was excused.
Mr. English had the barbecue going, and the many kids ran around with footballs and cans of soda until dinner was served. And Puck was very interested in chasing peanut butter cups on the picnic tables, but was fortunately distracted with a cup of Doritoes from his Aunt Rose.
Mrs. English was given several gifts, including a gift basket from her family (which included almond M ‘n M’s, (a Mrs. English staple), and a sack of gag gifts from the West’s.
As dusk fell, and they pulled back into the driveway, OLeif and Collette took Puck on a walk down the street.
“Where are we going?” Puck thought to himself.
He soon found out. As the sun tucked itself away in the west, they arrived on the parking lot of NAWS, which had been transformed into a night carnival.
“Ah!” Puck cried happily, at the beautiful colored lights.
“Hey!” Simon called out, as he and his family walked past.
Sally had a bag of popcorn, and the boys were running around in circles in matching jackets, in red and blue.
“He wants to go on that,” Simon said for Puck, pointing to a slicing machine spinning around upside-down in a great loop.
And Puck, did, indeed seem interested. In the end, however, Puck took a spin on the carousel, riding a majestic little horse next to his dad.
As they crossed the path back into the neighborhood, a few stars twinkled in the autumn skies, and Puck sat on his dad’s shoulder, looking back on the twinkling lights of the happy land.