Sitting here on the floor of my step-brother's room, a two-foot tall Spongebob doll staring at me from across the room with huge, inescapable eyes, my back feeling like it's going to split in two, I feel happy.
At about 2:15 in the afternoon, Lauren, Kristen, and I ran down the steps from my apartment to meet Eric in the parking lot. We threw our bags in the car (Kristen struggling to shove her large black duffle bag in the back without getting crushed by the trunk door) and climbed in the old Jeep, driving off and out of Athens. The poor Jeep was a busted-up thing, pretty much on its last legs; the air conditioner was currently dead behind the back seat, and the car itself tended to swerve to and fro if one didn't gently guide it back to the middle of the road in time. The three-hour trip consisted pretty much of loud gushes of wind from the open windows, abrasive music trying its damnedest to pump out of the only working speaker (on my side of the car, of course), the occasional Journey song, and a questionable stop at McDonald's in between the mind-numbing midday traffic. Finally, a little past 5:00 pm Central Time, we managed to make it to Trussville.
We pulled into Lisa's parent's driveway and were ushered into the house to lay in wait. Eric, Kristen, Lauren, and I sat in the porch together while Lisa and her family waited in the house, making adjustments to all the surprise party decor. Not long after, we heard everyone shout "Surprise!" as well as the unmistakable sound of Dad's voice. We gathered around the door just as Lisa opened it up--I've never seen Dad so surprised in my life. He stood there, shocked as we bum-rushed him with hugs. We couldn't just go about our own business when the old man was turning fifty, now could we?
My back is killing me from sitting in the car for over three hours, and I've got another three-hour trip to look forward to tomorrow. I'm going to be here with Dad and his family for less than twenty-four hours, and gas in Athens currently costs $3.25 a gallon. But you know what? Seeing my Dad's face, so surprised and happy to see us, made everything worth it.
Je t'ai croisée
Un samedi soir
Et j'ai jeté sur ta silhouette
Une poignée d'épices colorées
Mon but était clair
T'envoûter
Tout en restant
Libre-moi et libre-toi
Car le roi de l'amour
N'a plus besoin d'esclaves
Adieu, adieu la nuit
Adieu tristesse, adieu les larmes
Je ne suis plus celui
Que tu as connu, plus le même
Ô bel enfant
Qui a tant pleuré
Adieu tout est fini
Adieu les larmes, adieu la nuit
Et le soleil de minuit a brillé pour nous
Jusqu'à l'arrivée du jour
Alors nous nous sommes séparés
Comme déjà saturés des délices du futur
Et j'ai marché seul
Guidé par ton ombre
J'ai traversé la ville déserte
Encore étincelante
Du voyage des rêveurs
Je t'ai croisé un samedi soir
Et déjà j'aimais l'odeur de ton rire
Et le soleil de minuit a brillé pour nous
Jusqu'à l'arrivée du jour
