This blog is welcome to anyone and everyone, regardless of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, or political affiliation. Unless you don't like writing short stories or smelling bear. Or if you voted for the other guy. Also, I don't really like it when you leave up the toilet seat, so could you stop doing that? Muchas, muchas gracias.

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Trick Candles

For the first time in her life, blowing out the birthday candles didn't seem like one of those "first bright star" situations Clara used to associate with Barbies, hoopskirts, promises, and Disney. She was no longer a little girl in a pink dress. Now Clara knew that the first star she wished on always turned out to be Venus, which was a planet, not a star. No, this time the act was more like finding a fortune in a cookie: it had nothing to do with wishes and everything to do with ample warning. One year closer to the finish.

So when the singing trailed off and the melting wax made hard little pools on the dark brown frosting, Clara filled her lungs like a diver. And she didn't think anyone noticed when two of the candles flickered back to life.

Clara's mother, who'd made the cake, wasn't the type to buy those trick candles at the joke store, the kind that reignite and burn up the straw of the future before one can properly grasp it. So it was no wonder that when the two wicks caught flame, Clara felt cheated. And since nobody was paying attention, she snatched a quick breath and blew out those two remaining candles.

And thus that moment she stole from her future held more magic than three hundred and sixty-five first stars.

11 Comments:

Blogger Amanda and SuperAmanda™ said...

Great little story, reminds me of Camper Van Beethoven's "Light From A Cake"
I would love to give you jeans advice anytime :)

7:00 AM

 
Blogger Amanda and SuperAmanda™ said...

An article about denim that I wrote, hope you find it helpful :)
http://www.gkfa.com/taste_and_style/wear_it_with_style/basics/Jean_Fit_Guide.asp

7:11 AM

 
Blogger ginab said...

Should't I remember this one? I think I do.

7:23 AM

 
Blogger jupiter woman said...

Happy Birthday (very soon for both of us...). I LOVE love love The Hairdresser's Husband. Possibly my favorite film...among 50,000 others.

11:39 AM

 
Blogger Rose said...

Happy Birthday to you
Gina's blog linked me through
You may smell a bear smell
But we know it's not you!
:)

Happy cake-and-go-crazy day!!

Jack

10:32 PM

 
Blogger ginab said...

Happy birthday and plenty of cheap thrills, doll face. Don't forget: you're in command. Those mobiles them kids are having to make? not to your taste. Beneath,and on a grand day.

me lady...oh, happy happy Happy happy day.

-BeaBea

5:32 AM

 
Blogger ing said...

Jupiter Woman:

I hope you get this -- I wasn't able to access your blog. Happiest of Happy Birthdays!

4:34 PM

 
Blogger ginab said...

Hi Ing,

Yeah, I would have said Happy Birthday to Jupiter Woman, but I can't access her site either. I let Piers know you'd left a message for him, through his blogsite. He has a poem there, too. I haven't had time to comment on the poem, but the Basho just attracts me (the message there).

Sure hoping everything is going your way!

oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUPITER WOMAN!!!!! I hope you're off site because you're experiencing the perfect celebration!

Yeah November 29!!!

5:28 PM

 
Blogger Amanda and SuperAmanda™ said...

My your birthday consist of not too many papers to correct or office hours ,elegant jeans, and plates of cakes, cookies and treats in fun pastel colors with sprinkles plus cake and ice cream and everything else you desire.
Have an amazing year!

THE BIRTHDAY RULES

The birthday person decides:
-what music is on
-where and what to eat
-who is around

9:25 PM

 
Blogger Rose said...

ing,

Actually, the beauty was more of a frustration at not being able to achieve it. Not being inspired, and thus not able to create it; not feeling particularly beautiful by comparison to Milla Jovovich.

Sort of a mood I was in yesterday... :)

Thankyou for the comments, hope you had a wonderful day!

Jack

10:54 PM

 
Blogger ginab said...

Not to spoil anyone's fun, but through the site meter, I've noticed a troll coming to mine, linking over from a "transvestite clothing" blog.

erm?

6:32 AM

 

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