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In the town of Normal, Pennsylvania, there’s a little church at the corner of Wilson and Elm. Henrietta Miggins had been attending the church her entire life. This year Henrietta turned seventy, and by coincidence, her birthday fell on a Sunday. As Henrietta got ready for church, she wondered if anybody would remember.

Henrietta’s family had planned a big party that evening. Of course many people celebrate milestone birthdays with wild parties when they’re young then have more sedate celebrations as they get older. This was not true for Henrietta. She had never celebrated with wild parties. But apparently she was about to start.

Henrietta was pleased that her daughter had come from Pittsburgh – even though she brought her latest ne’er-do-well boyfriend with her. Henrietta was even more excited that her son had come all the way from California with his wife and three kids, though Henrietta was not so thrilled to discover her fourteen-year-old grandson, Dylan, was now adorned with an earring and black nail polish. Clearly her daughter-in-law was letting those kids run wild as could be out there on the left coast.

Her joy at seeing her offspring was tempered by the fact the entire clan had elected to stay with Henrietta. Henrietta still lived in the family house so there was plenty of room, however she had grown accustomed to quiet and order. Her family was neither quiet nor orderly.

Her son and her daughter’s boyfriend had commandeered the television to watch college football all day Saturday. They expressed amazement that she was still watching a 32” tube T.V. She feared they might get her some monstrous “flat screen” contraption for her birthday. Like there was anything on television that she needed to see that large!

Meanwhile, her daughter-in-law left the two youngest kids in Henrietta’s care and went to the mall. Henrietta couldn’t understand why she’d pass up the opportunity to visit with her mother-in-law. Didn’t they have malls in California?

Henrietta enjoyed her grandkids’ company but would have preferred it in smaller doses. If she thought Dylan would help with his siblings, she was mistaken. He spent the day with tiny earphones stuffed in his ears listening to a digital music player while he played some video game on his laptop. Both the music and the game seemed to Henrietta to be Satanic in nature. More evidence of her daughter-in-law’s weak parenting. She would have gladly offered the woman a few helpful tips if only she’d get back from the mall!

By Sunday morning Henrietta decided it was time to lay down the law. The entire family was going to church with her. Dylan whined mightily about that. And one would think he was a candidate for martyrdom by the way he carried on when Henrietta informed him he had to leave his digital music player at home.

Seventy-eight year-old Florence Barker was serving as greeter at the church this particular Sunday. She made a big to-do over Henrietta’s family, even commenting on how handsome Dylan was. That was to be expected, Henrietta thought. She considered Florence to be a woman of sketchy morals owing to her history as a professional jazz singer and her penchant for flashy shoes completely inappropriate for a woman her age. Florence probably sensed a kindred spirit in Henrietta’s wayward grandson.

“And is your family here for any special occasion?” Florence asked Henrietta.

“It’s her seventieth birthday,” Henrietta’s son beamed.

“Really!” Florence exclaimed, nudging Henrietta with her elbow. “Well, welcome to the septuagenarian club. It’s great. When you’re old, people let you get away with murder.”

Henrietta supposed Florence had needed age to gain a measure of respectability. Henrietta had earned her respectability by not trying to get away with murder in the first place. But she kept this supposition to herself and simply said, “Is that so.”

With the younger children sent off to Sunday school, the Miggins clan found their way to Henrietta’s normal pew. Henrietta’s friend Betsy Davis was there. “Happy birthday,” Betsy said. At least someone had the good manners to remember without prodding.

Henrietta barely managed to get her whole family introduced before service started. Betsy was gracious despite the horrible manners of the younger Migginses. At one point during the service when Dylan had to be asked to stop kicking the pew in front of them, Betsy leaned over and whispered, “Isn’t family a blessing? They really keep life lively, bless their hearts.”

Henrietta was mortified.

Henrietta was surprised when Pastor O’Donnell mentioned her birthday during the announcements. She suspected Florence had clued him in after their encounter at the front door. Henrietta considered Pastor O’Donnell a scatterbrain, unlike the clergy in her day. At least they didn’t resort to any foolishness and make her stand up or anything. At seventy, Henrietta had had just about enough foolishness for one lifetime.

After church the Miggins clan went to the social hall for coffee hour. If Henrietta hoped to get a break from her relatives, it was ruined by the parade of people coming up to wish her happy birthday. Then four year-old Mary Boyer came skipping over with Henrietta’s granddaughter Hayley.

“Hi Grandma,” Hayley said. “This is Mary. I met her in Sunday School.”

“Yes, I know Mary,” Henrietta said. In fact, Mary was well known by everyone who attended the church. Of all the little girls for Hayley to befriend, Mary would have been last on Henrietta’s list.

“Hayley says it’s your birthday,” Mary said.

“Yes,” Henrietta agreed.

“How old are you?” Mary asked.

“Seventy,” Henrietta said.

“Wow, that’s old!”

Henrietta looked around for Mary’s mother but was unable to locate her.

Just then, church secretary Tammy Billings shouted for everyone’s attention. “You may have heard Pastor O’Donnell mention that today is Henrietta Miggins’ seventieth birthday,” Tammy announced. “I bet she thinks we forgot, but we didn’t. Henrietta, come on up here.”

Henrietta joined Tammy at the front of the social hall. Tammy presented her with a large gift. “Just a little something to show our appreciation for your years of service to the church,” Tammy said.

Still a bit in shock, Henrietta carefully opened the wrapping and looked inside. “What is it?” Mary shouted.

It was a beautiful china tea set. Henrietta had tea every afternoon and despite great care, her current tea set was chipped and worn. She was speechless. She had not been prepared for a gift so…what was the word? Ah, yes: thoughtful.

“That’s not all,” Tammy said and gestured toward the kitchen where Florence and Betsy appeared with a large sheet cake. There were two candles on the cake, one in the shape of a seven, and the other in the shape of a zero. Florence and Betsy brought the cake over to Henrietta and Florence led the congregation in a jazzy rendition of Happy Birthday.

When they finished, Henrietta leaned in to blow out the candles. “Don’t forget to make a wish,” Mary said.

Henrietta thought for a moment as she looked around at her wonderful new tea set, her children, her grandchildren, her friend Betsy and her enemy Florence, Tammy and all the people from her church waiting to toast her with their cups of coffee or punch. Then she leaned over and blew the candles out with a wheezy breath.

“What did you wish for?” Mary asked.

“I can’t tell you or it won’t come true,” Henrietta snapped.

But the fact was she couldn’t think of a single additional thing she wanted just then.


In memory of Rex Smith