Just Another Day

A co-worker turned a milestone age yesterday. He'd told me he wasn't happy to be getting there, so I didn't want to make a big deal out of the day. On the other hand, it felt rude to completely ignore it.

After a lot of thought, I decided to get him a decadent bite of something sweet.  On Wednesday I swung by a thrift store and found a cute little plate for only a quarter. Before I went to work yesterday I stopped at the bakery department of a nearby Whole Foods.  All of their bite-sized confections are fabulous, but I decided on this bite-sized fresh fruit tart.  I've had it before, and it's a wonderful combination of flaky crust, pastry cream, and glazed fruit. Because I was buying just one, the clerk slid the tart into a small gelato cup with a lid and stuck the price tag on the bottom.  When I got to work I turned the pastry out onto the plate and put it in the refrigerator in the office.

Shortly before my co-worker was scheduled to clock in I removed the plate from the refrigerator and set it on the counter with no birthday card or other hoopla.  I did, however, write his name on a Post-It and put it next to the plate.

When he arrived he went into the office to take off his coat.  He came out and asked if I'd brought the treat.  I said I had, and he disappeared back into the office.  The next time he came out he was wiping off his mouth.  He thanked me profusely, and got busy with work.

The word "birthday" was never mentioned.

Five years ago today: New Thing #28--Storytime