My Stolen Birthday Cake

They said it was marble cake with cream cheese icing but you couldn't prove it by me. Why? Because someone stole my birthday cake from right underneath my nose...almost.

Here's how it went down. Every year my daughter's-in-law, sister-in-law, and sometimes a couple family friends celebrate our birthdays at a nice restaurant. The birthday girl gets to chose the place to eat.

I was the birthday girl. I chose a lovely Italian restaurant. My birthday was a couple weeks ago, but we couldn't all get together until last night. It's tradition that someone brings a decorated cake from the grocery store and the restaurant serves the cake....complete with blazing candles. This year, my poor daughter's-in-law forgot to get the cake so just when I was arriving at the restaurant, they were leaving.

"Where are the going?" I asked my sister-in-law, Dee. I soon found out the girls were making a mad dash to find a birthday cake suitable for me....my name and all.

I couldn't care less about a cake, but it's the thought that counts I guess. Anyway the girls left flustered and came back to the restaurant and gave the cake to the hostess as a "surprise" for me later.

We all had a nice dinner and lots of lively conversation. About mid-dinner I noticed a birthday cake with glowing candles being delivered to another table across the room. "Hmmm," I thought to myself, "Someone else is having a birthday and that person is as old as me." I could tell because the cake was almost on fire with count-the-year candles. My mind drifted off to something else.

About twenty minutes later I saw a lot of activity at the opposite end of the table from me (complete with the manager of the restaurant and my daughters-in-law). They were all pretty red faced. I found out why when the manager asked, "Who's Jan?"

I raised my hand feeling a little stupid.

"Well," she said, "We accidentally delivered your cake to the another large group at the wrong table.

"And?" I asked.

"They ate your cake," the manager responded.

"Someone ate my birthday cake?" I asked quite stunned.

"Yes, someone ate your cake," she said.

For a minute I didn't know what to say and then I did what I had to do....I started laughing and I mean rolling on the floor laughing. Who on earth has the nerve to steal someone's birthday cake????? Who??????

Lowdown snake-in-the grass birthday cake thieves, that's who!

Anyway, in spite of the fact that my cake was stolen the evening turned out quite well. The restaurant staff was more than gracious. They told us all to order any dessert we wanted from the menu and they gave all nine of us $25 gift certificates. They also reimbursed the girls for the original birthday cake and candles.

I think I want to go back to that restaurant again next year.

I am writing from the heart. Every word is true! If you live in Columbus, Ohio and know anyone who stole a birthday cake at Bravo's restaurant on December 1, 2009 at around 8:00 P.M. please feel free to shame them mercilessly!

Also, let them know that decency and honor always prevails!

P.S. Please forgive me for not posting and commenting as much as usual. I'm dealing with a back issue that keeps me from sitting or standing very long. I had an MRI today and plan to be back to normal soon!