happy birthday merry christophermas
A little over a year ago, Chris and I decided that being together would be a good idea. But it wasn’t really a good idea because I was already in a relationship. Still, there’s never a “good time” to break up with someone you care about to be with someone you’re in love with, so the only responsible thing to do was to do it. On an otherwise normal Thursday in early November, Mittens and I moved out of the apartment where the old relationship lived.
Chris’s birthday is on Christmas Eve, which was fast approaching following the first days of our (very) young relationship. It’s a birthdate people usually forget, he said, or combines with holiday celebrations. We were only dating for a couple of weeks when I asked what he was doing for his 30th to which he replied he had nothing planned. At that point, I hadn’t even met most of his friends yet.
I found their emails anyway. With a bit of planning and a few white lies, I organized a surprise birthday gathering at Manhattan Inn, now one of our favorite bars — complete with live piano! — in Greenpoint, near his apartment which I “officially” moved into in January.
One year, two apartments, three adopted animals and at least forty arguments later, we arrive at our second Christmas Eve together, his thirty-first birthday.
We celebrated a few days early with a feast at Legend, his favorite Sichuan restaurant in New York City, and cheesecakes from Magnolia Bakery.
Like last year…
It was a surprise.
Though we sometimes become impatient with each other and bicker like curmudgeonly old people, the last thirteen crazy months has also been my happiest.
Happy birthday, Mr. Smith.
photos by eddy vallente
