I didn’t know it. Hardly anyone does, really. How do you know if you’re the needle in the haystack? Hidden among a million like you, only you’re just … different? Just a little shinier, pointier, and more personality? You’re the cool one, a secret gem only known by those who take the time to find you … right?
Wrong!
It was another regular day at my grandma’s house when I decided to be a menace – as usual. We were planning a surprise party for my uncle for finishing his degree and graduating medical school.
The air was buzzing with excitement as hushed whispers traveled across the third floor, even though he wasn’t even here yet.
‘The cake and balloons are ready – all that’s left is the poppers,’ my mom was saying as she surveyed the second floor living room. ‘Any news on his whereabouts?’
‘Still at his friend’s house,’ my aunt confirmed.
‘Well, that’s one use of his always hanging out at his friends’ house,’ I backhandedly commented. My statement was met with glares and stern looks from everyone in the room – and to top it off, a forceful nudge from my sister.
‘Shut up,’ my cousin chuckled, but discreetly gave me a high-five.
I sauntered downstairs and found the rest of my family, some of them pacing back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room. Yelps of laughter and screams of joy erupted from the ground floor as the grandchildren gang were running in circles, playing tag and chasing one another.
‘He’s almost here!’ my eldest uncle announced, racing up the staircase.
‘Are we finally going to have cake?’ I asked from my post, leaning over the handrail as I watched the excited hubbub storm up the stairs to the second floor.
My grandma lightly pinched my arm as she shooed me into the room with all the other grandkids and clicked the door shut behind her.
‘Be quiet!’ my aunt was busy shushing the kids. ‘Let’s stay quiet – the moment you see him walk through the door, I want you to yell as loud as you can, “Surprise”! But for now, stay quiet, alright?’
‘The only thing that’ll shut them up is a bribe,’ I quipped, a bag of candy behind my back. ‘Either sugar or cash, but I have a feeling a bunch of primary school kids would rather stock up on legal drugs.’
‘Knock it off!’ my sister hissed with a laugh, pinching my arm. ‘Let’s not teach them the word “drugs” at a young age.’
My grandma gave both of us a stern look, then huffed in exasperation as she watched me distribute two gummy bears to each kid.
‘It works,’ I shrugged.
They quietly dismembered the bears’ arms and mauled them one by one quietly.
‘Do you think he’s going to be any longer?’ my cousin asked, eyeing the ginormous crunchy chocolate ganache-topped ice cream cake stationed on a low table in the middle of the room. On either side, two of my brothers were hanging a last-minute made banner that read “CONGRATS DOCTOR NUMBER FOUR!”
‘Don’t worry,’ my sister assured her, ‘Worst case scenario, we say the cake is melting and grab spoons to “clean up” the edges.’
‘I don’t know who they’re congratulating,’ I gestured at the banner as I commented. ‘Him for finishing seven years of college or our grandparents for having four kids who are some form of a doctor.’
A gasp from my uncle’s wife and a light smack from her made me burst out laughing.
‘You are so mean!’ she stated, her face still a shocked one.
‘Am I wrong though!’ I defended. I was almost not surprised to be met with a resounding “YES!” from all three of them.
‘He’s coming, he’s coming!’ my other uncle warned us as he slipped into the room, the entire audience falling into a hush.
I made my way through the crowd and stood next to my grandma; right in front of the door, hoping to film his reaction.
‘I would thank you for your help today, but you were a needle in a haystack, honey,’ my grandma whispered in my ear, eyes still trained on the door.
‘Hard to find but a delight and a rewarding one when found?’ I asked enthusiastically.
‘No. Useful, but hard to find and a pain to run into.’
I snorted as she shot me a side glance and a wink.
‘Alright. I’ll be nicer.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Or at least mean, but on the inside.’
‘No!’
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