When They Made Us They Broke the Mold. Probably Fired the Moldmaker, Too.

My favorite day of the year is almost upon us- April 30th (i.e., my birthday). I'm one of those crazy people who celebrates my birthday over the course of several days. I don't go all out with big parties where my friends shower me with love, attention and lots of expensive gifts. I prefer just spending time with family and friends, enjoying good food and good times, and laughing. If they want to give me expensive gifts, who am I to say no?
As I look forward to my birthday, I'm reminded of other April 30th babies. Who wouldn't want to share a birthday with Willie Nelson or Cloris Leachman? I mean, really, that's quite impressive. But I'm more proud of sharing this day with people that I know personally.
The first person that comes to mind is Little Rock. (**If you haven't noticed yet, I prefer to use aliases when writing about others so as to protect them from having to admit they actually know me.) Little Rock is the younger sister of my best friend from college- Drewty. When Drewty and I became friends and were getting to know one another by exchanging random, trivial information with one another, we realized that Little Rock was born exactly 8 years after me.
I remember my 8th birthday vividly. My family came to the big city (Columbia) to visit Riverbanks Zoo. After visiting the few animals that were living at the zoo back in the early 80s (Those red-ass baboons were there in all their glory!), we went to my aunt's apartment for cake & gifts. I can still picture my cake decorated with a likeness of Strawberry Shortcake (the sweet 1980s version NOT the hootchie mama version staring down at me from shelves in Target's toy dept today). I remember laughing with Drewty that I was probably laughing at the red-ass baboons while Little Rock was making her world debut. Kind of fitting since Drewty acts like a baboon from time to time. Seriously though, I feel like I got to watch Little Rock grow up from a cool high schooler to an amazing woman. She is super awesome at all things- especially softball. Homegirl can pitch like no one's business! I don't get to see her very often these days, but I always think of her on April 30th and send some positive vibes her way.
April 30th wouldn't be complete without BW. BW is my soulmate (in a totally non-romantic way). Picture it: I'm a wet-behind-the-ears health educator working in the Pee Dee and have to spend the day with a nursing student. Enter BW. He is finishing his nursing degree and getting ready to join the working world. Before he can graduate, he must observe a world-class health educator or fail his class miserably. Not really- but he did have to observe someone for his class and he got stuck with me. Anyway after a couple hours together, I wished him well and went on with life. A few months later, I go to the health dept to teach a class and who do I run into in the hall- BW! He works there now. Coincidence #1. Again, we wish one another well and go on with life. A year later, I am working in the big city (Columbia) and who started at the same health dept on the exact same day? You guessed it- BW! Coincidence #2. Several months go by and who gets an office down the hall from me. Yep- BW! Coincidence #3. Then I move to a new office on another floor. Hello howdy- 6 months later, BW has his own office across the hall!
Work coincidences aside, there's more: we share the same birthday only 2 years apart. Our brothers' birthdays are a mere 2 days and 2 years apart. By now, I've lost count of all the freaky coincidences, but along the way I've gained a wonderful friend. We laugh together everyday about practically anything and encourage one another with life's choices. We know that no matter where life takes us in the future we will always have a friend to lean on. And we know that our friendship is not based upon a series of weird coincidences.
So, here's a toast to 2 fellow April 30th babies. You ain't Cloris or Willie, but I couldn't have chosen 2 cooler people to share my special day with. Happy Birthday, Little Rock & BW!! And oh yeah- ME!