My Special Day on Jan. 20

I have a big birthday coming up on Jan. 20.

I will turn 70 on that day and I am hearing that big celebrations are planned to mark the occasion, especially in Washington, D.C. where hundreds of thousands of people are expected to gather at noon. There will be speeches by dignitaries, parades complete with marching bands, and military flyovers.

There will be similar celebrations in towns and cities all across the U.S. but also in other countries around the world, even in Canada.

I am flattered by all this and am trying to stay humble but it isn’t easy in the face of all this adoration. I have noticed all my life that every four years, the people in the U.S. seem to go nuts over my birthday on Jan. 20. What a pleasing thing it is to know that I am so universally beloved. In fact, it has been pointed out to me, that they were celebrating my birthday every four years long before I was even born.

I haven’t been keeping track but I don’t know of any other special occasion happening on Jan. 20 this year.

I have had big birthday parties before, even surprise ones on my 40th and 50th anniversaries of the day of my birth, but it seems like my 70th will be the grandest yet. Apparently there will also be massive TV coverage of the event.

I just want to say thank you to the world in advance. I am one lucky guy and I want you to know how much I appreciate it all. Gifts can be sent to my home. I will hire a security guard to scare off the porch pirates (who I am pretty sure are my neighbours across the street.)

©2021 Jim Hagarty

Author: Jim Hagarty

I am a 72-year-old retired journalist, busy recovering from a lifelong career as an unretired journalist. This year marks a half century of my scratching out little fables about life. My interests include genealogy, humour and music. I live in a little blue shack in Canada and spend most of my time trying to stay out of trouble. I am not that good at it. I also spent years teaching journalism. Poor state of journalism today: My fault. I have a family I don't deserve, a dog that adores me, and two cars the junk yard refuses to accept. My prized possessions include my old guitar and a razor my Dad gave me when I was 14 and which I still use when I bother to shave. Oh, and my great-great-grandfather's blackthorn stick he brought from Ireland in the 1850s. I have only one opinion but it is a good one: People take too many showers.