I don't really remember much about my sixth birthday. Not too surprising really, because I had the mumps. And the measles. And chicken pox. I could be wrong about the diseases, but I know I had three different childhood diseases ALL on my birthday. Yay.
Now see, birthdays were big events in my house. You got to be "Queen for the Day" (unless of course, you were a boy) and you got to choose whatever your favorite dish would be for dinner, and you got a birthday party. All of the other missionary kids would come over and everyone would have a good time with games and cakes and kool-aid (or Ribena or lemon squash). And Mom would make me a pretty dress.
The main things I remember about that birthday are:
1) I was sick as a dog but parents sent their kids anyway so they could all catch whatever I had and get it over with
2) I didn't feel connected to anyone in the party because I looked funny and I wasn't my normal sunny self
3) I ended up sitting outside with the bo-hai man (shoemaker), because he would let me watch him fix shoes. Yes, while all the kids in the neighborhood celebrated my birthday inside the walls of 28 Oxford, I sat outside the gate with a gnarled Chinese tradesman.
And you know what? I was happy as a clam...
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