The Front Side of Fifty

This may be a dangerous day for folks in my neighborhood.  I doubt they even suspect.  And things unexpected are always the most perilous.

The fire department should be warned and the hospital alerted.

Someone might be playing with fire.

It's quite possible that my wife may bake a cake for me today.  She may decide to plunge waxed wicks into chocolate and ignite their tips.  People sometimes do that on birthdays.  But mine is a fire hazard.

The cake, you see, must be huge to hold all those candles.  Add to that bulk the weight of frosting and wax and serving dish and it's a disaster in the making.  A hernia waiting to happen.  A horror writer's delight.

With fire extinguisher in hand and buckets of water by my feet, I'll wait.  Just in case...

And thus begins the last year I'll live on the front side of fifty.  This time next year, God willing, I'll be half a century old. :::shudders:::

And because it's my birthday, I'll ask you to grant me one wish.  It's one that each and every one of you can grant.

My birthday wish is simply this:

Celebrate the coming New Year to your fullest, but please, do so responsibly and safely.  You are loved too much by too many to do otherwise.

The continued presence of those we love is the greatest birthday present we can have.  Make sure you're around to be that present.

Happy New Year!