My Belated Birthday Gift

I received many gifts while I was hospitalized.  They were all much appreciated, but one really sticks out in my mind.  It was an “everything” gift – belated birthday, Christmas, New Years, and Get Well Soon.

I was sitting in my room at the Rehab Hospital, receiving visitors.  Mom and Dad were there, and so were Brian and Erica.  Plus Lydia was there, and everyone was having a great time.  The receptionist came in to tell us that I had another visitor, and that making room would be a good idea.  We were a bit confused, but she refused to say more.  When she walked out, a guy in a gorilla suit walked in.  Immediately I knew what it was and who it was from.

It was a singing telegram.  Most people don’t know about them, or think they only exist in stories, but I can tell you they’re real.  Very real; I experienced one firsthand.  The guy in the gorilla suit really hit it off with my mom, exchanging dirty jokes and whatnot.  He then proceeded to come around the bed to be next to me, gave me a party hat and a horn, and then sang a song about me.  I forget exactly what it was about, but he seemed to know a lot about me: where I work, what happened to me, what I like to do.  And very few people know that much about me who weren’t in that room and also have the balls to send something like a singing telegram.  In fact, only one person really fits that description; my friend (and boss) Brad has the type of personality to do something like send me a singing telegram.  And what do you know, when the singing gorilla was done with his song, he gave me a card with Brad’s name.  I wasn’t surprised but thoroughly embarrassed.  But embarrassed in a good way, if there is such a thing.  I think there’s video of the whole event but I refuse to let it surface.

I hate to brag; I try to avoid pointing out good things in my personality but I really do like my ability to laugh at myself.  I don’t mind getting embarrassed as long as no one gets hurt (especially me) and it results in people laughing or having a good time.  I guess you had to be there to really appreciate my singing telegram in a gorilla suit, but just know that singing telegrams do exist, they make a great gift and work best if there are other people there to experience it as well.

Also that shows how great of a support system I had; when people couldn’t be there, they made sure they sent their love and support.  But keep in mind that no matter how good your support system, or how much love they send, it’s up to you to use them and to absorb the love to help you move on.  Without your strength, their actions mean nothing.