Celebrating My 44th Birthday

Getting old had given me a big toll and I can't believe I am four scores and four years more and counting. It feels like a smorgasbord feeling actually. So many choices but a little to accomplish. I am basically pressured.The continuity of life is a mystery to me. Why do we have to age? Why do we celebrate birthdays? I grew up not really accustomed to celebrating my birthdays because my parents were kind of not really particular about it. I saw my big brothers and sisters having pictures with big celebration and pictures blowing cakes but I never recalled that I had a cake prepared during my past birthdays.

That probably had made me so passive about celebrating my birthdays. Honestly, it was weird but I kind of figured it out that way. Now, that I am mature enough to understand why, I now know the significance of commemorating someone's birthday. Yes, it is a known fact that being born on this world is a blessing and it is very significant, thus people celebrate. It is an opportunity to experience the rigors of life. Now I understand. What I don't understand is that why we have to succumb to getting old and some way or the other will eventually regress like a child. It pains me a lot to remember my mom and dad in this way. And I don't want to experience it that way.

Anyways, my birthday has started on a wrong foot. I felt so unfortunate that things had happened in a bad start. But all throughout it was fun though. Yesterday, I decided to pick up my car from the dealer because my agent had called me that it was ready. He warned me that the alternator was kinda weak and he told me about the estimates. I asked him how long it will last and he didn't gave me a rough estimated period of time. Thinking that it will last for couple weeks I decided to pick the car up yesterday. He didn't even discourage me nor encourage me to have the alternator fixed. He didn't even warned me not to use a lot of gadgets because it will used up the power. He just let me pick up the car and never warned me anything.

I took the car and drove it home. It drove okay, yes. I then prepared myself for the date that I gonna have for my pre-birthday bash planned for me by my co-workers at Noypitz in Glendale. I left the house, still the car was driving well. At the freeway, I lost the exit and drove over to Burbank, and then I realized that I was lost. I even reached at the Warner Bros. Studios and Saint Joseph Hospital in Burbank and there I finally confirmed that I am lost. I can't believe I just did it, but the car was still driving okay and has no problems or whatsoever.

I tried to regroup myself and reprogrammed the GPS then decided to follow the direction until I hit Freeway 134 going North then I felt that I was on the right track. When I arrived at the place there was no parking and the parking structure was closed and gated. I roamed around and checked for an available spot near the church across the restaurant. I parked and when Ihopped out of the car I figured out that I parked on the bus stop, which is illegal. Then I decided to valet park and gave my car keys to the parking guy. After several minutes the guy came back and told me that the car won't start and he handed the keys back to me.

I went to check the car and tried to start it but it just make a gurgling sound so I was alarmed. I thought it was due to the battery but I won't believe it because the battery was been changed two weeks ago, and it was brand new. Then, I have no option but to make myself believe that it was probably the alternator that my dealer agent had told me before I picked up the car. I have no know-how about cars but I have to conform with my gut feeling that it was the alternator. Well,of all the days to act up my car chose to do it on my date night for my birthday with my colleagues. What a bummer!

I then put the emergency signal light, because I was illegally parked on the bus stop, then immediately called Triple A for consultation and to send someone to check out the car. The lady on the other line said the help will come in thirty minutes. Few minutes after I called Mark and Lalaine came and I told them what happened. Lalaine went inside the restaurant to confirm the reservation then Mark stayed with me to wait for the service guy.

At exactly thirty minutes after I called for help the guy came and I told him about what happened and then he proceed to check the car. After inspection he confirmed that it was the dead alternator. So basically, I have no ride home. I then called Triple A again and asked for a towing service to tow my car at my apartment so that I can bring it at the dealer in the morning. I told the operator that I am at a restaurant celebrating my birthday so I needed the towing before midnight after the dinner party.

I left the car on the side street with the blinking emergency light and then went in the restaurant to eat. Some of my co-workers were there and they meet me with open arms and smile greeting me for my birthday. I hid my worries about my car trouble by putting a good smile and returned the hugs that they've given me but deep inside my thoughts went to my car worries thinking that I will spend more money again for the repairs. I just shored out almost three grand for the repair of the engine's rack and pinion yesterday when I picked up the car, and now this new problem had arised. I felt that I am unfortunately not blessed on this birthday that I have.

After celebrating my previous birthdays with happy faces now my birthday was been faced with alot of car trouble and expenses. I felt that I might probably trade in this car and buy a new one. I was so worried how many more car trouble I will face in the future with this car. I am so worried. I am bound for a vacation next month and I already touched my pocket money and aloowance set aside for that vacation to pay for the repairs. Aaaah.... I am so lost, on my birthday.

But anyway, despite of these troubles, I have to face the moment that I am here now celebrating my 44th birthday at Noypitz Resto withmy colleagues and I have to deal with this for the moment. At least, the towing service will come later so I have enough time to enjoy even thought I am not fully 100% pumped up for the occasion.

We ordered foods and chatted with my colleagues. My boss was also there and some of my close friends at work. It couldn't be denied that I am worried, they knew, but I have to at least keep the occasion fitting so I put on a happy face and enjoyed the moment fleetingly. I am not so wired about it but I am at least holding myself up just for the occasion. I thanked my colleagues for putting up this party for me and I don't want to ruin it just because of my car.

The food came and we started to eat and talk and then they sang a "Happy Birthday" song for me. I blow the blueberry cake that I brought and we took a lot of pictures after that. Then we went to the dance floor and started to join the line dancing. The band was so good and we'd enjoyed teh dancing part.

We went back to our table and continued toeat our food. I even forgot that my car was outside. And all my worries were gone for that few small moements enjoying the company of my co-workers celebrating my birthday with me. It was the most touching moments I've had during that night and I just could not contain myself despite of the unfortunate situation that had happened tomy car.

We disbanded at midnight after taking pictures at the red carpet outside the restaurant then the towing truck had arrived. After saying goodbyes and thanking my friends I then went out and met the towing guy and explained the situation and my plans to tow the car to my place then he set-up the car and pulled it up on the big truck then after that we took off and towed the car to Lemon Grove Avenue where I live.

Yeah, that was the unfortunate situation that had happened during my birthday and I couldn't forget it all through out my life. Now I am "carless" on my birthday and is planning to get a rental car in the morrow after I will drop off the car at the dealer. Then tommorow I am scheduled to watch "Totem" a Cirque du Soliel show at the Los Angeles Harbor which I had planned a a treat for myself on my birthday. I felt good now that I got home safe despite of what had happened to my car. And hopefully tomorrow on my birthday everything will be fruitful and productive. Good night!