The Birthday

Mrs Margo King

1972

It was 30th January 1972 the day our third son Stewart turned ten. It didn't get off to a very good start when, as he was opening and reading his birthday cards in front of the gas fire Alistair noticed that his dressing-gown had started to singe. Luckily he slipped it off before it did any lasting damage. We were then discussing the arrangements for the afternoon outing to the cinema when number two son, Alistair again (aged 11) noticed that the pre-booked tickets to see 'Torra, Torra, Torra' were for a performance starting at 7.30 pm - PANIC! We had also booked a mini-bus to transport the ten children and two adults involved there and back to be home for a birthday tea, complete with cake and candles. A worried and hurried phone call to the cinema resulted in the appropriate number of tickets being made available for a 'swap'. The children duly arrived and left, being escorted by dad and grandpa. My sister and I were busy getting on with the sandwiches, etc. when the doorbell rang and we found our cousin standing there with a bookcase to deliver - fine! (my uncle had left it to me when he died at the end of 1971) but this meant a break for a cuppa. He left and the minibus came back with its passengers who, having re-enacted the film right through the town, were ready for tea and, of course, games. We were getting ready to say goodbye to the children when the telephone rang and this was a colleague of my husband's just checking that we would be over to Paisley, from Cambuslang, in time for dinner. He was concerned because it was quite foggy in Paisley. My husband had completely forgotten about the invitation and we had made no arrangements for a baby-sitter for our four boys. My father said he would be happy to help out so my sister dashed home to Clarkston to collect all that he required and all seemed to be working out just fine. My husband and I were just coming downstairs ready to leave when the door bell rang, yet again, and there on the doorstep was the son of our neighbour who had recently become engaged and we had said, "The next time your fianc is over, please pop round and we'll have a drink". Well, there they were so what could we do but invite them in and explain the position to them. We finally got to Paisley and I have never felt so in need of a cigarette, except that I had given up smoking right after all the Christmas and New Year parties and was determined to keep it that way. As you can imagine this day remains a vivid memory even after all these years.