Happy Birthday to me!

Another year. Another birthday. A slow start to the day. Some many phone calls. Couple of gifts. A feel good factor. But a fear lurking in mind, just two words to be heard, 'Old-er' and 'Loneli-er'. As the day progresses ahead, some more phone calls. Plans made for dinner with friends in the evening. As evening approaches, all dressed up in the birthday cheer, I step out. Fun dinner with friends. Gifts some more. And then it's the time to disco. Hit the club, booze some, dance some, booze some more, dance some more. Time flies. Birthday ends. Well almost!

My story begins where my birthday ends.

It was a fun birthday. As fun, as fun could be. I couldn't have asked any more for my first birthday in an alien country. God bless friends, 'coz without them I would be agonizing over my loneliness on my special day.

I carried my gifts and walked to the subway station to catch a train back home. I was laden with gifts. As I got down the stairs of the 42nd Street Subway station, I could hear a sweet melody wafting through the air.

"Stromin my pain with her fingers
Singin my life with her words
Killing me softly with her song
Killing me softly with her song
Telling my whole life with her words
Killing me softly with her song"

Beautiful. The vocals were amazing. And the range captivating. And the guitar accompaniment was even better. Must be some really talented street musician, said my mind. I moved towards the direction from where the sounds were born.

A tall, lean, heavily dressed black man was playing the guitar and singing the song. His wiry strands of hair were falling all over his face as his face contorted with the emotions. The music being produced there at that moment, needed to reside on a disc and not simply drown away in the cacophony of the train noises. But sadly, that's the way it was.

He was surrounded by a group of around 7 people, excluding me. His captive audience of those 7 people included 2 couples, and then three single guys. Both the girls leaned on to their respective partner's shoulders, enjoying the sweet melody, feeling love only like how young, carefree souls can. You could feel the romance in the air, just at that moment. Of the remaining three single guys, two of them were swaying to the music, and the other one was seeming unfazed by the music, but you could still make out from his face, that his ears were rapt in attention.

And then there was me. I rested my gifts on a seat nearby, but still held on to the bouquet. I began swaying to the music too.

The song ended. His captive audience broke into a heartfelt applause.

Next song.

"When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see
No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me

And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh now now stand by me
Stand by me, stand by me"

Ah! Ben King!

Midway through the song, the musician tried some antics. He began stopping midway through the song asking the audience to fill in the lyrics for him. It worked at times where the lyrics were memorable. The song was even better than the previous one.

The song ended. Applause again!

I took some money and proceeded to his guitar bag which was lying on the floor of the platform, to collect his moolah. I dropped the bills in there. That's when he looked up to me and said "Thank you, Sir!"

Him: Gentleman, I see you are coming from a party.
Me: Yes
Him: And is it a special occasion? I can see a bouquet...
Me: Oh Yes! Its ma birthday today.
Him: Oh wonderful.

And then he strummed his guitar strings into a familiar beat.

And he began singing -

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you

By the second line, his captive audience of 7 people had also joined him. There was mild clapping of some hands along with the song too.

Happy Birthday, dear ......

I could see 16 eyes thrust on my face.

I volunteered, "Joe"

Happy Birthday, dear Joe
Happy Birthday to you...

And then the beat intensified. The music envigorated its pace, and the people began singing faster once more the same 4 lines.

It was beautiful. My heart melted. There were tears in my eyes. I was afraid that they would roll over, and I would seem so sissy. But truly it was a moment worth cherishing.

The song ended. Everyone clapped loudly. Some couple of other strangers who weren't involved in the singing too came and wished me.

It was just perfect. When random strangers like these can care to make your birthday special for you, that's when you realize that there is still hope, love, care and humanity in this world. That's when you realize that the world is still just fine.

If there was ever any case for the yummiest, creamiest, temptiest icing on the cake, then this had to be it.

Happy Birthday to me!