From left, cousins Susie Helm, Lisa Seela, Raul Ascunce and Jon Pomeroy.
There are very few times in life when you get a chance to truly surprise someone. I’m not talking about jumping out from behind a door and making someone soil their lingerie. I’m talking about a genuine surprise that will make someone very happy.
“Honey,” I said to the wife, “I just got an invitation to my cousin’s 80th birthday party. Do you think we should go? It’s in Dallas, Texas.”
“Well,” the wife said, “that depends. Do you like her?”
“Oh yes, very much. She and her brother and sister are my only living extended family and we’re spread out all over the United States.”
“When was the last time you four cousins were together?”
“Not since we were kids some 65 years ago.”
“Then, I think we should go to your cousin’s 80th birthday party. Maybe you four cousins will be together again for the first time in decades.”
“Great!” I said. “I’ll contact my cousin’s daughter who is organizing the party to tell her we’ll be there.”
After an excited conversation to RSVP, my cousin’s daughter suggested that we keep our attendance a total surprise from my cousin.
“Mom has been involved in helping to plan this event,” she said. “I would like there to be at least one surprise. You guys are it! She is going to freak out! So, don’t let her know you’re coming.”
“How good is her heart?” I asked. “Should I take a CPR course before we come? Nothing spoils a surprise like a cardiac infarct…”
“She’ll be fine … I think.”
Over lunch the next day, the wife asked, “So what do you think we should get your cousin for her 80th birthday?”
“Well, I googled, ‘What do you get an 80-year-old for a surprise birthday?’ And defibrillator kept coming up. So, I ordered one in the party colors, purple and pink.”
“You got your cousin a defibrillator?!?” the wife asked. “Are you kidding me? You are not giving her a defibrillator! Why not a nice gift certificate to her favorite restaurant, or hair salon, or a lovely scarf?” the wife scolded.
“Sorry,” I said. “We’re the surprise. I just want to be prepared.”
On the day of our arrival in Dallas, we were picked up by my New Jersey cousin at the airport. The plan was to drop us off a few houses down from the birthday girl’s house. At the appropriate cue, we were to walk in the back door and yell “Surprise!”
Well, we did just that, and I am here to tell you, I thought my cousin had seen her last birthday when she saw us. Her eyes widened, she clutched her chest, she bent over and grabbed her knees.
“She’s infarcting!” I screamed. “I knew I should have brought the defibrillator! I’ll do the compressions, you all sing ‘Stayin’ Alive!’”
Once she had gotten over the shock of seeing her long lost cousin, she was fine.
The birthday party the next night at her favorite restaurant was a wonderful event. Sixty guests gathered together to help celebrate my 80-year-old cousin. She beamed on her special day. And the really cool part, the four cousins were finally reunited after so many years …
Raul Ascunce is a freelance columnist for the Sentinel-Tribune. He may be contacted at [email protected].
