My favorite birthday was not my own. When I was in high school my youngest brother was still quite young. Whether he wanted a clown party or not, I don’t remember, but as an older brother I was to take center stage. How hard could it be to entertain kids seven years old or younger?

I was not much for tricks but I always liked juggling. Nothing special, but I could juggle a few basketballs, some pins, and eat an apple. I know what you are wondering–no, not at the same time. Why is it that you automatically expect jugglers to add one more ball, or one more spin, or one more element than whatever ridiculous feat they are accomplishing? Here’s looking at you America’s Got Talent. Never mind, I get a little sidetracked, as jugglers often do. Back to the object at hand:

Some children seem really amused with juggling. Others? Not so much. I remember one child in particular staring blankly and picking his nose. When I finished a couple bites of my apple trick he disappeared and by no coincidence so did my apple. By the time I moved from that trick to the next he was gnawing on my apple in the distance.

I got a kick out of how proudly he displayed the remainder of his birthday party favor when his mom arrived.

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