Marvin's Birthday Party

For most of his young life Marvin Bog was an only child.

It was a tremendous, great, wonderful thing to be an only child, or so he would have told anyone who asked. Every Christmas and each birthday he got every single thing his heart desired. He had a large screen t.v., every new gaming console that ever came out, a gaming p.c and an iPad. As far as pets went he had two dogs and a slider turtle, an aquarium full of exotic fish, a cage of lovebirds, two cats and an iguana named Morty. His allowance was $200 a month which he got without ever doing chores and he got extra pocket money just to treat his school friends after school. Everyone in Marvin’s entire family treated him like a little prince.

For the first nine years of his life Marvin was spoiled, spoiled, spoiled. Then one day his mother asked him at dinner, “Marvin darling, how would you feel about a little brother or sister?” Marvin thought about it carefully. He had never considered it before. “Would they clean my room for me and bring me my food in bed and play games where they let me win all the time?” he asked.

“No sweetheart. Of course not! But they’d look up to you and love you because you’re their big brother! You could even help me and Daddy take care of them! Wouldn’t you like that?” Marvin didn’t even take care of himself. Taking care of someone else sounded like no fun at all.

“No. I think I like being an only child. Thanks Mom, but you don’t have to worry about getting me a little brother or sister. I don’t want one of those,” he said firmly. “And I never will.”

“Ah,” his mother said, looking crestfallen. “I see. Well, we can talk about it again later.”

Every day for the next nine months Marvin’s mother would sit him down and make him all his favourite foods: pepperoni pizzas, burgers and fries, endless slices of rich chocolate cake, pancakes downed in maple syrup, ice cream sundaes; the list went on and on. And as he ate, she and Marvin’s father would tell him all about how great having a little sibling could be.

“You know son,” his father began. “A little brother or sister would be great to play with. It would be like having a friend sleep over who never had to go home because this is their home! I know how much you love having your school friends sleep over!”

Marvin craned his neck out from behind a stack of blueberry pancakes that towered above his head so he could get a good look at his father’s face. “Yes, but sometimes my friends want to play with the toys I’d rather not share. Sometimes they complain when I take two or three turns in a row on a game when it’s my game to begin with and they’re lucky I let them play with it at all. Then I make you or Mom call their parents and send them home. I couldn’t do that with a little brother or sister now, could I?” he asked, feeling very clever.

“Nuh-no son. You couldn’t,” his father stammered.

“So you see I’d rather not have a little brother or sister since I couldn’t send them away when I want. Case closed.”

It went on this way for nine months. Every day Marvin’s parents would try to talk him into wanting a sibling and every day Marvin would shoot all their reasons down. And the whole time Marvin’s mother got bigger and bigger.

Five months in Marvin became very concerned. He was lying in bed watching FPS gaming videos with heavy gunfire to lull him to sleep when suddenly his eyes flew open. He leapt out of bed and barged into his parent’s bedroom without knocking. He was very, very upset.

You see, every year the day Marvin looked forward to most was his birthday. It was a whole day to celebrate him, after all. And it took about six months of careful party planning to make sure everything went perfectly. The theme, the guest list, the menu, the decorations, the gift registry, entertainment; Marvin decided on every detail personally. My birthday is only three months away! He realized, alarmed. And we haven’t started planning at all!

“Mom! Dad!” He yelled, startling his parents awake. His father rolled out of the bed, banging his head on the end table. “Wha?! Marvin! What’s wrong?!” his father asked, clutching his sore head. “We need to start party planning!” He demanded. “Don’t you realize my birthday is only three months away! There’s work to be done! I want to rent a whole circus this year! Elephants, trapeze show, clowns and all! Where are we going to find a circus on such short notice?! This is a nightmare!”

“Oh Marvin,” his father said looking over to his wife. Marvin’s mother held her hand out. “Darling,” she said sweetly. Marvin took her hand and let her enfold him in a hug. “This year we’re planning something special for your birthday.”

“You are?” he asked suspiciously.

“Yes. You’re such a wonderful party planner, but there’s one kind of party you’ve never experienced. And that’s a surprise party.”

“A surprise party? I don’t think I’d like that. I’d rather start elephant shopping, if it’s all the same to you.”

“No dearest. This year your father and I are going to plan your birthday for you. It’ll be a one that you’ll never forget! But I will give you one hint though.”

“What’s that?” Marvin asked.

“Your present this year will be something that none of your friends can have. Only you, Marvin Bog will ever be able to say that these are mine.”

“These? I’m getting more than one?” He asked, suddenly a little more interested. “And only I can have them?”

Roger Lyle, Marvin’s classmate just got a new gaming console. It was the same one Marvin had, but for some reason his friends seemed to be going over to Roger’s place more often. Marvin wasn’t even being asked. It was concerning.

“Only you. If anyone wants to play with these they’ll have to ask you directly because nobody else can even get one.”

“Well, alright then,” Marvin said. “I’ll be around if you want advice. For the party planning.”

“Sure dearest. Sweet dreams.”

“G’night then.” Marvin went off to bed.

Three months later Marvin’s Nanny Maria came to the house carrying her big purple overnight bag. “Marvin darling, come help Nanny Maria take her bag to her room,” Marvin’s mother called up the stairs. She was lying and breathing very heavily on the couch. She does a lot of lazing about these days, Marvin thought. “Mom, she can do it herself! I’ve got a dungeon siege I’m working on and other people are relying on me! I can’t just drop everything right now!”

“I’ll get it!” Marvin’s father said. It was just after nine am.

Downstairs Marvin could hear voices. Then after some time he heard his mother call up the stairs again, “Marvin sweetheart! We’re going now! See you later! We love you!”

“Alright, see you at the party then!” he yelled back.

It was the day. His big day. His tenth birthday. Not only was he turning double digits, a major milestone, but his parents had not been kidding when they’d called it a surprise party. He didn’t have any clue what sort of party they’d be having at all. Even at school he’d asked his classmates to see the invitations his parents had sent out, just to get an idea. And they’d all looked at him blankly and said there hadn’t been any invitations this year. They’re good, Mom and Dad, he thought, impressed. Swore everybody to secrecy I bet.

He hadn’t seen a single package turn up at the house, or any streamers or balloons of any kind. It was a total mystery.

Hours later Marvin finished his game. It was going on three in the afternoon and he was hungry. Not only that, but it was beginning to get late. Surely a child’s birthday party wouldn’t happen at night. It didn’t make any sense.

“Nanny Maria!” He called, heading downstairs. “I’m right here,” she said from the kitchen. “Would you like lunch now?” she asked.

“Won’t there be food at the party?”

“Party? What party?” Nanny Maria said, confused. “I don’t know anything about any party but I’ve made you a tuna fish sandwich and there’s a date square for dessert. You can have those if you like.”

“Haha! Man, you’re good Nanny Maria! But I’m really hungry, so sneak me something yummy, will you? I’ll still have room at the party!”

“What party darling?” Nanny Maria said. “Your parents never mentioned anything about a party. I’m not even supposed to let your friends come over today. It is a VERY big day after all.”

“It is! It is a big day! So why won’t you drop the act and fetch me some pizza or something?! My birthday only comes once a year and you’re spoiling it for me! Is that what you want?” Marvin was beginning to get very upset. Most of the day was already gone and they hadn’t celebrated him at all. They were wasting time. Surprise party indeed, he thought bitterly.

“Your birthd-“ Nanny Maria’s eyes went as big and round as saucers. “Of course! Your birthday! And your Mom and Dad are bringing you a very, very special gift. A once in a lifetime, super-duper original gift just for you! But that will be later! For now, let me set up a little party just for the two of us okay?”

Marvin sighed, glumly. “Oh, alright.”

He went back upstairs to play more videogames. Maybe they need more time. He thought. Yeah! That’s it! They planned something so big that it’s taking this long to put it all together. I bet my friends are all already there waiting for me, maybe at a theme park or arcade or maybe at the zoo! And we’ll have a five-tier cake with every level a different flavour and fireworks! Fireworks at night, which is why nothing’s happened yet!

A half an hour later Marvin heard his father’s car pull into the driveway. “Marvin! Time for our special party!” Nanny Maria called gleefully. Finally! He thought, his stomach rumbling. He took the stairs two at a time.

When he got to the kitchen a plate sat on the table. On it was a tuna fish sandwich, now sporting a balloon drawn in ketchup. Beside it was a date square with a single lit birthday candle in the middle and a twenty dollar bill tucked underneath. “Happy birthday to you!” Nanny Maria began crooning.

Just then Marvin’s mother walked in, carrying a basinet. “Marvin sweetheart!” She said happily. She looked very tired and also much smaller, Marvin noticed. “Come say hello to your new little sister!”

“You got me a sister?! For my birthday?!” he asked in a daze.

“No, son! Of course not!” His father said, beaming from behind his mother. He was holding two more basinets, one in each hand.

“We got you three little sisters! And every year you’ll get to share your birthday with them for the rest of your life! Isn’t it just great!?” One of the tiny little wrinkled people began to cry and soon the other two chimed in.

Marvin looked around, from the kitchen table, to his parents, to his Nanny Maria who was still singing and clapping her hands. The room began to swim before his eyes, and he passed dead away on the kitchen floor.

When he awoke his life had changed forever. And although it took quite some time, Marvin’s sisters turned him into a much better human being. So they were the best, most special birthday presents he ever got after all.