Happy birthday to you, you belong in a zoo

Born at home on a kitchen table
on the south side of Chicago
in a rundown rooming house.
When mother went into labor
father ran to the corner pay phone
called Cook County Hospital clinic.
A doctor and two nurses arrived.
Then, I did.
Mom always told me how the nurse held her hand and coached her. She told her she had delivered six kids. Mom thought she was talking about her own. My mom thought, if she can do this six times, I can do it once. After I was born, the nurse told her she didn't HAVE any children.

After I wailed into the world, Dad kissed me on my unwashed cheek, then ran to the corner bar, bought the doctor a beer and Orange Crush sodas for the nurses. That's how it was on June 6, 1949 on Madison Avenue, in Chicago, Illinois.
(I think I would have insisted on a bed, but the doc thought the kitchen table would make a nice delivery table. eew!)

This morning I awoke to a cute card my hubby made for me. He is so creative and computer literate. I also received a coupon for a free pastry at Panera Bread Co, a free order of nachos at some restaurant, a free entree at Qdoba's and a brownie ice cream sundae from Chili's. It looks like I can just eat from morning till night. But I won't!