In-n-Out Birthday

Oh my. I thought the days of my family being known as a traveling circus were over, but apparently not. Will may never go to In-n-Out with his family ever again.

He wanted to go to In-n-Out for his birthday. Easy enough. But then we wanted to get together with Grandma and Grandpa too, so I had the brilliant idea of meeting them at In-n-Out, and having a little party there. That would save them from having to drive out to Syracuse, and I thought, if Will wants to go do something afterward, he would still have time.

So we loaded up presents and pecan pie and headed out.  For extra good measure, I remembered candles, whipped cream, cupcakes for the non pecan eaters in the family. I also remembered cards.  I thought I was doing so good

Everything was great as far as dinner. Will was a little surprised when he found out we were going to sing and open presents at In-n-Out, but in his seventeen years as a Metcalf, he has learned to roll with the punches. So we loaded up and headed in. Grandma and Grandpa were already there waiting for us. We even beat the pre-Jazz game rush. About the time we got our food, it started to get really busy with people wearing Jazz jerseys. After we were done eating, we stuck the candles in the pie, and it was then that I realized I had failed to bring plates and forks. No problem, we got some to go baskets and plastic forks. Then Duncan went to the bathroom, and left us all hanging for about fifteen minutes. By the time he got back, I realized I had also neglected to bring matches.  Will was all, "lets just go do this at home," and I was on the verge of agreeing with him, because I doubted In-n-Out was going to be too keen on lending me a match. Grandma Sally saved the day though.  She hopped up and said she was going to find a match.  She went all around the restaurant, striking up conversations with people at their tables and asking for a match. After about the fourth try, she found a nice older lady with a big purse who graciously loaned us a match.  We lit the candles and sang loudly and raucously and off key, much to Will's chagrin. And pleasure, I think.  And then, I went to cut the pie and realized I didn't have a knife to cut it with. I tried to saw through it with a plastic fork, but that was not cutting it, (play on words!) so back up to the counter I went for a knife. All they would give me was a plastic one, but it was better than a fork  By the time I got back, the cupcakes were all on the floor, as were Duncan and Grandpa, who were trying to clean it up. "What happened?!" says I, and Will says disgustedly, "The two least able bodied people here opened the cupcakes, that's what happened" I believe he may have been referring to the two whose initials are DJM and OGM, but I will not confirm anything, except to say that those would also be the two who were most anxious for cupcakes. They were also the two that picked the cupcakes off the floor and ate them anyway.

Fnally, everyone got some sort of birthday dessert, we opened presents, and wrapped up the party, leaving only a sticky smearing of chocolate frosting on the floor under our table as evidence that we were there. Of course, before we left, Duncan went BACK to the bathroom while we all stood around waiting for him.

When we got home, everything was saved by one last surprise birthday gift from Duncan to Will. It was Duncan's idea to get it, and he paid for it with his own money. The two of them disappeared into the basement after that and that was the birthday.

Now, we get to start gearing up for Will's San Diego trip with the orchestra!  He leaves in two weeks!