Rosa’s Birthday Party

Rosa loves looking at her reflection in the water

“Rosa! Rosa! What are you doing? Come away from the door immediately!”

Sybil looked around for George but he wasn’t anywhere. Sybil continued. “Why are you standing at the door?” she asked again, smiling at Pawo and his family as they came in handing a present to Rosa. Sybil froze. “Did you just ask them if they had bought you a present? Oh dear. Please don’t mind Rosa, I don’t know what’s got into her,” Sybil forced a smile as Pawo laughed it off diplomatically.

“It’s Rosa. We are used to her. She’s just a child.”

“She’s 9 years old today,” responded Sybil in a panic. Pawo smiled and carried on into the nest. “Rosa!” said Sybil sternly, “what is it you’re asking people who come in to your party?”

“If they brought me a present.”

A look of horror came over Sybil’s face. She was unable to get the words out of her mouth. She was afraid to ask just in case her worst fears came true, but she had to ask. “Did you tell anyone they couldn’t come in.”

“Not yet,” replied Rosa nonchalantly, believing she wasn’t doing anything wrong.

“Listen, little one,” explained Sybil still looking around for her husband. “You can’t do that. Would you really tell someone they can’t come in they didn’t have a present for you?”

“Yes, of course, mummy,” replied Rosa and then Sybil saw a couple approaching the front door who didn’t appear to have a present with them. Sybil shouted over Rosa to the astonishment of the small family of sandpipers who she recognised from synagogue.

“Come on in! Come on in, Mr and Mrs Lifshitz. Welcome to our nest!” But before Rosa could say anything, Mr Lifshitz gave Rosa a gift card to the New York Deli in Surf City.

“His wife explained. “I know you like it there.”

Sybil collapsed and Rosa grinned. “Thank you! I love it there.”

“Hello young lady,” it was George. Sybil got off the ground. “What are you doing down there?” he asked.

“Can you imagine,” explained Sybil, “that our daughter is stopping everyone coming into the nest asking them if they have a present for her.”

George as always laughed, “you can’t do that young lady,” but Rosa wasn’t looking for that answer.

She looked out of the door and not seeing anyone decided to explain her position. “Mummy, daddy,” she began calmly. “When you go to the movies you have to buy a ticket. So, to come to my birthday party you have to buy me a present. That’s not any different.”

“Yes, it is,” replied both parents simultaneously, but Rosa still did understand the difference. George tried to explain. “At the movies they don’t invite us. We decide we want to go to the movies, so we have to pay to get in. Here we invited them, so they don’t have to pay to get in by buying you a present.” Suddenly panic struck George. “You haven’t turned anyone away yet have you?” George thought that if she had and it was a member of his synagogue, he would never be able to live it down.

“No daddy. Everyone brought me a present.”

“Even Mr and Mrs Lifshitz?” asked George who knew them to be stingy with their money. “Yes, they got me a gift card to the Surf City Deli.”

Oh thank God thought George and then an evil smile came across his face and he whispered to Sybil, “I can’t believe they never changed their name like that designer guy.”

“Who?” Asked Sybil, “oh you mean Ralph Lauren?”

George shrugged his shoulders and then froze. Rosa had overheard them and he didn’t put it past her to say something to Mr and Mrs Lifshitz. George cleared his throat. “Ok back to what we were talking about Rosa dear. Why don’t I stand here and greet the guests as they come in and you go and play with your friends.” Reluctantly Rosa left and George remained at the door.

Sybil was relieved and went back into the packed living room to make everyone was having something to eat, but to mainly make sure that Melody hadn’t decided to join the party and made a meal out of some of the guests. No, she hadn’t and as always was very well behaved. George for his part did a grand job welcoming everyone to his home whether some of them hadn’t brought presents or not. He thanked his lucky stars Rosa wasn’t at the door, otherwise who knows what would’ve happened.

The rest of the evening went on magnificently. The food was catered by the New York Deli and then at the end of the night Sybil told Rosa she could open the presents she received, which is what she wanted to do right from the beginning. She dove into the pile on the floor and in typical Rosa style, until George stepped in, she passed judgement on each gift completely uncensored.

At the end Rosa realised that neither Elizabeth nor Jeremy were there. She looked at her mother who shrugged her shoulders and then at her dad who did the same. “They were invited weren’t they?” asked Rosa and both her parents nodded their heads. Soon that was forgotten and the festivities continued until it was time for everyone to leave and Rosa make her way to bed. Rosa was terrific at thanking all her friends by hugging them and apologising to some if she had hurt their feelings. They of course, smiled and hugged her a little harder. “You’re the best,” said Pawo whose family had brought a rubber ducky for Rosa to play with in the waves. While not the most expensive gift, it was something from their heart which meant a lot to her as the night wore on.

“I love you guys!” she added as she hugged Pawo’s wife who gave her a big kiss in return. Once everyone had left the Blau family, all 6 of them including the Brenda who had never been to a birthday party before, collapsed on the floor. Sybil though got up and began cleaning up all the wrapping paper.

“Why don’t we do this tomorrow?” asked George, “I think we’re all very tired.” Sybil agreed and then she got up and left the room only to return a few seconds later with a large package.

“Rosa dear,” she said, “this present is from your father and me. We just want you to know that there has never been one single day when we have never been glad you’re our daughter.” Julia sniffled and Timmy looked down at the ground. “Us too,” he said not lifting his head.

“What is it?” asked Rosa and began to unpack it. She let out a shriek of delight. She tried to hold up the large doll but was unable to due to its size. “Thank you mummy, thank you daddy,” she kept jumping up and down with delight. “Can I sleep with doll tonight?” and then she stopped. She realised it was bigger than her bed, “maybe on the floor in the bedroom just this once.” Sybil and George agreed.

There was knock on the door. “Who can that be?” asked George and Sybil stuck her head out of the window.

“It’s Elizabeth and Jeremy,” she said quietly. And then added, “can we pretend we went to sleep?”

“Do they have a present?” asked Rosa.

“No,” replied Sybil lying.

“Then we’re asleep,” and they turned out the light in the living room.