The Birthday Elephant

My best birthday? It was not something crazy like a sweet fifteen or an insane slumber party. Nothing having to do with misbehaving or even kids my own age. It was my seventh birthday. No friends, no party, nothing big. However it was the best of all. Because it was simple but interesting and calm. It started out with one of my mother's best friends, Laurie, who shares the same birthday. September 7th. I remember anytime Laurie babysat me, she would play I Spy with me all of the way to her house and it was my favorite game so I was always excited for another visit. We did the same on this day, but even better, when we got to her house she had two brand new I Spy books at her house waiting on the sofa. I can say we probably were occupied by them for a few hours. Then after watching my favorite shows and playing games for a few more hours, she took me to McDonalds' and we both got Happy Meals with small Polly Pocket dolls. She of course willingly gave me hers and then told me about the best part: The circus was in town and we were going to it! It was a very new thing, having lived in a small town of only 10,000 people. I had never even imagined a circus coming to our town. It would have been my first time to ever see a circus. I remember when we first arrived, the first thing I noticed was the smell of popcorn and candy. I saw the clowns with balloons, and men with peanuts who yelled out to people, the swirly colorful cotton candy and the acrobats in their sparkly leotards. Then I saw the big wrinkly elephants and I immediately walked over to the fence to them. I laughed when I saw a man dressed as a clown running around with a wheel-barrel and trying to catch their poop. When that was done, he noticed me being the only one near the fence so he brought over an elephant and let me pet him. He was a baby, but very large. His skin was dry, but in a way soft. He was dirty but I did not really mind. His eyes were like that of a puppy and he was the most beautiful beast I had ever seen. After meeting the elephant, it was time to enter the huge red and yellow striped tent. Everything inside seemed to make the tent grow as we went inside. Laurie and I had very good seats, in the middle of the audience on one side, low enough to make it down quickly, but high enough to see everything perfect. It was dim and warm under the tent and the smells of popcorn were intensified. Laurie and I both got the pretty pink and blue swirled cotton candy and a bag of peanuts. I opened the peanuts for Laurie and the first thing I saw was a little purple folded ticket for a free balloon. I ran down to one of the clowns and handed him my ticket and he gave me a big, bright, shiny yellow balloon saying: "I've been to the circus!" With a little elephant in a red hat underneath the print. I loved it, and wished that the balloon would last a long time. I took my seat back next to Laurie and what little light they had in the tent was dimmed even more until it was almost black. Then a big bright light saying "stnahpelE" I squinted trying to understand what it said. Then I figured it out, the sign was facing the other side of the audienc. Elephants!!!! In came the five elephants, plump and slow making their way to the middle of the ring. they had red things with gold tassels draped over their heads and backs. They marched around and did almost what looked like a little dance! After their act, they all took a bow sat down all at once for applause. I clapped and giggled for the little baby elephant. Following them was the makeup plastered clowns with funny magic tricks and balloon art. Then following the clowns were the amazing acrobats. They spun and twirled on strings and swings and onto the net below. They would rub what looked like baby powder or chalk on their hands and clapped the powder in their hands before each trick. I was so inspired my the little girl, probably about my age wearing the pretty sparkly leotard and makeup who swung on a bar attached to two strings and did several flips in the air making her glimmer in the light. She also got to ride the baby elephant standing up with a big sign saying "Applaud". Which everyone obeyed. After the final act of the circus I was so inspired by everything I had seen. Laurie then took me home, I was sad because I wish I could go back to the circus and touch the elephant again and see the sparkles and smell the sweet and buttery smells again. When I got home, y family was waiting for me with a cake and cards, which brightened me up again. I loved explaining what all I had seen and done. That is when I got the best news of the day: We were going BACK to the circus except this time with the whole family!! This time it was not as great as the last considering they shortened it and left out some acts. They did not let the baby elephant come out this time to be touched or in the show. When it was time for the acrobats, the little girl was not included this time. However I was allowed to take pictures with my new Barbie camera (a present) and I was just as inspired as before, but most of all I had my mom next to me the whole time having a good time along with me. We went home after and I was tired but happy. I had the best birthday I could ever have and I wished about living in a circus, with a beautiful sparkly leotard and glimmering face riding on my little-big baby elephant, and that gave me a smile and still does when I think about it now. I did not want any other friend or anything else. Just the sparkles and baby elephant. I would flip to the circus page of my I Spy book, look at the little elephant and the balloons and just daydream.♥