Bobsgiving Day

Thursday was Trooper Bob’s birthday. He always gets to enjoy his birthday around Thanksgiving, which means he not only gets to feast on turkey and dressing but gets his cake and eats it too. Truth is he does that anyway.

Yes you guessed it  CAKE WRECKS.

You know how when you are a kid it is always about your birthday but you forget that your parents have birthdays too? Yeah I used to do that too. Then as I got older I realized that my parents had birthdays. I would try and think of something my dad would like for his birthday and purchase something accordingly. Like when I was nine years old and I was convinced my dad would love a tie with a duck on it. Not just any duck, a mallard. Now why I thought my dad would love a duck tie is beyond me other than I could get it at TG& Y for the exact amount of money in my piggy bank. My dad didn’t wear ties except to work as a trooper and then he wore the grey tie that was issued with his grey uniform. I think another birthday I bought him a bunch of pipe cleaners which was actually a better gift because he was a pipe smoker.

I really shouldn’t feel bad because when I was about seven he gave me a shower cap for my birthday. Yes a shower cap. Now granted it was pinky and frilly but a shower cap? For a seven year old? Poor Trooper Bob, he could have saved himself the trouble and brought me home an Archie Comic or an Ann of Avonlea.

This isn’t about me; ok really it is but let’s pretend we are talking about Trooper Bob.

So Trooper Bob was born right around Thanksgiving which until 1941 was on the last Thursday of the month. Good old Franklin Roosevelt decided with the help of Macy’s to move it to the 4th Thursday of the month. Confused? So was the whole ding dong state of Texas and in 1941 they decided to take both the 4th and the last Thursday off. It was deemed Franksgiving, which takes us back to Trooper Bob who is celebrating Bobsgiving.

When Trooper Bob was a little boy he would get to celebrate Bobsgiving with the whole family. His mother, my grandmother, would cook for days. His grandmother would cook for days and all the Aunts and Uncles, cousins and their dogs would all gather and give thanks. Now we all know they were giving thanks for Trooper Bob coming into their family. Who wouldn’t love this cute little buckaroo?

So here I am some 70-something years later once again being thankful for Trooper Bob coming into this world. I mean think about it. If Trooper Bob had never been born then I wouldn’t be here. What a different world that would be without Trooper Bob and well of course Gladys. So join me in celebrating Bobsgiving.

I am going to tell a tale on myself. I was all excited and prepared. I set my phone alarm for EARLY and I popped up as soon as it sounded. I was going to be FIRST. I knew I was going to be first because it was EARLY. I dialed the number and waited for him to answer. “Hi baby!” came Trooper Bob’s voice. Yes he has caller I.D. and he knows how to use it. I cleared my throat and sang in my best soprano Happy Birthday. It got quiet on the other end of the line and then he burst out laughing. “You’re a day late sweetie.” WHAT? A day late huh? “No I’m not” I replied insistently. “My birthday was yesterday” came the reply. “No” I replied slowing my speech making sure he understood. “Today is the 26th” I stated. On the other end of the air waves came a snort then “nope today is the 27th. You’re a day late” he chuckled. “and I dollar short” I finished. So I guess I will have to double check my date next year so I can be FIRST!

I love you Trooper Bob!