It's Not My Birthday
It's Not My Birthday
Billie Joe comes bounding into the house, all full of energy. He truly believes in doing something nice for someone once a day. This particular day his good deed is for Fink. Fink is the total opposite of Billie. He is sullen and moody, and sulking seems to be his occupation. He is reading the paper when Billie approaches him.
‘Hi Finky!’ he exclaims in a sing-song voice. Fink looks at Billie with one eye, then looks back at his paper. ‘Hello Mary Sunshine. I acknowledged you. You can leave now.’ Billie rattles a bag at Fink, who is really trying to read his paper. The stock market in Taiwan is so interesting…
‘Finky love. I have something for you !’ Billie shouts gleefully, much to the dismay of his masked companion. ‘Billie. Stop that. You’re behaving like a brat. Don’t make me take you over my knee.’ Billlie giggles. To get Fink to notice him he flicks at his newspaper with a thumb and forefinger, prepared to bolt through the house to have Fink chase him. It doesn’t work, but he does get Fink’s attention.
‘Billie. Joe. Stop. That. Right. ‘NOW!!!!!!’ Fink hisses through clenched teeth. ‘So help me through all that is unholy in the Church of Lushology, I will throttle you.’
Billie just laughs and blows a kiss at his at his companion. ‘Finky I bought you something. PLEASE at least look at it.’ Billie holds out the paper bag almost as if it’s a peace offering. ‘Billie, I hate presents. I hate gifts. You know that.’ Fink sighs as he tries to reason with the boy. Billie Joe may not always be home upstairs but his heart was in the right place. It’s that Fink never got much all through his life, and when someone has given him something…let’s say he learned early on that everything has its price. He has the scars-both physical and mental-to prove it. The mask was good at hiding things, but nothing could conceal his heart that he dared not wear on his sleeve. He never revealed his heart to anyone-not Van Gough, not even Billie Joe.
Fink breaks out of his reverie by the weight of something being dropped on his lap. ‘Fink, please, just take it. Put it in your room for now, I don’t care. I just wanted you to know how special you are to me, and that I thought of you today.’ With one last glance Billie makes his way upstairs to get changed into sweats. Fink looks over near the stairway making sure the boy is gone. He reaches in the bag and pulls out a brand new mask, this time wirh orange and yellow stripes.A note falls out of the bag…
To the man that brightens my day
And brings summer all year ‘round
Your Billie
Fink sighs as he reads his note. The boy was special, he knows that. He just has to learn to show his feelings to Billie Joe or he’ll lose him, like he’s lost so much before. Stealing a glance at the kitchen to make sure that Billie wasn’t around, he slips off the old beat up ski mask and puts the new one on. It even smells like Billie, the soft musk and fresh air that clings to his essence. Smiling to himself, he grabs the paper and turns it to the sports section. He’s startled by arms around his neck from behind.
‘I see you’re wearing my present,’ Billie says softly. Fink pulls the singer onto his lap. ‘C’mere Billie,’ he says gruffly, and cuddles the boy to his chest. Billie can feel Fink’s heartbeat, strong and deep and just for him. ‘You didn’t hear this from me…but I thank you. It means much to me. You’ll never know how much.’ Billie nods and swipes a kiss at Fink’s neck. ‘It’s ok Finky. I understand. I know how hard it is for you, but I love you. And I’m always here for you.’ Fink smiled, a rare glimpse of soft lips in a curve. ‘You’re always here with me kid.’ He points to his new mask. ‘Orange and yellow-my Mary Sunshine.’
‘Hi Finky!’ he exclaims in a sing-song voice. Fink looks at Billie with one eye, then looks back at his paper. ‘Hello Mary Sunshine. I acknowledged you. You can leave now.’ Billie rattles a bag at Fink, who is really trying to read his paper. The stock market in Taiwan is so interesting…
‘Finky love. I have something for you !’ Billie shouts gleefully, much to the dismay of his masked companion. ‘Billie. Stop that. You’re behaving like a brat. Don’t make me take you over my knee.’ Billlie giggles. To get Fink to notice him he flicks at his newspaper with a thumb and forefinger, prepared to bolt through the house to have Fink chase him. It doesn’t work, but he does get Fink’s attention.
‘Billie. Joe. Stop. That. Right. ‘NOW!!!!!!’ Fink hisses through clenched teeth. ‘So help me through all that is unholy in the Church of Lushology, I will throttle you.’
Billie just laughs and blows a kiss at his at his companion. ‘Finky I bought you something. PLEASE at least look at it.’ Billie holds out the paper bag almost as if it’s a peace offering. ‘Billie, I hate presents. I hate gifts. You know that.’ Fink sighs as he tries to reason with the boy. Billie Joe may not always be home upstairs but his heart was in the right place. It’s that Fink never got much all through his life, and when someone has given him something…let’s say he learned early on that everything has its price. He has the scars-both physical and mental-to prove it. The mask was good at hiding things, but nothing could conceal his heart that he dared not wear on his sleeve. He never revealed his heart to anyone-not Van Gough, not even Billie Joe.
Fink breaks out of his reverie by the weight of something being dropped on his lap. ‘Fink, please, just take it. Put it in your room for now, I don’t care. I just wanted you to know how special you are to me, and that I thought of you today.’ With one last glance Billie makes his way upstairs to get changed into sweats. Fink looks over near the stairway making sure the boy is gone. He reaches in the bag and pulls out a brand new mask, this time wirh orange and yellow stripes.A note falls out of the bag…
To the man that brightens my day
And brings summer all year ‘round
Your Billie
Fink sighs as he reads his note. The boy was special, he knows that. He just has to learn to show his feelings to Billie Joe or he’ll lose him, like he’s lost so much before. Stealing a glance at the kitchen to make sure that Billie wasn’t around, he slips off the old beat up ski mask and puts the new one on. It even smells like Billie, the soft musk and fresh air that clings to his essence. Smiling to himself, he grabs the paper and turns it to the sports section. He’s startled by arms around his neck from behind.
‘I see you’re wearing my present,’ Billie says softly. Fink pulls the singer onto his lap. ‘C’mere Billie,’ he says gruffly, and cuddles the boy to his chest. Billie can feel Fink’s heartbeat, strong and deep and just for him. ‘You didn’t hear this from me…but I thank you. It means much to me. You’ll never know how much.’ Billie nods and swipes a kiss at Fink’s neck. ‘It’s ok Finky. I understand. I know how hard it is for you, but I love you. And I’m always here for you.’ Fink smiled, a rare glimpse of soft lips in a curve. ‘You’re always here with me kid.’ He points to his new mask. ‘Orange and yellow-my Mary Sunshine.’