I was the new Art College President in Massachusetts, and had been in my position just for 2 ½ months. My birthday was coming up, and I vowed not to say anything because I didn’t want the staff to feel obligated to do anything, and it wasn’t a special birthday, so who cared.
My old friend Jerry Grove called the school a few days prior to my birthday and asked to speak to my secretary. He told her that it was going to be my birthday, and that I was particularly fond of belly dancers, about as far from the truth as one could get.
The day of my birthday, I was called into the staff room, which was unusually full of faculty and staff, all grinning. I asked what was going on and they laughed, and brought in a cake. They sang happy birthday but everyone still looked oddly at me. Suddenly, I heard strange music flowing through the air, everyone was smiling in anticipation. Then, the sound of finger cymbals began to develop, and lo and behold, here she came, a vision of loveliness dancing her way into my heart. Veiled and belly out, she had Happy Birthday Arthur written on her belly in marker. I froze…what to do?
I went along with everyone and danced with the dancer as she played with her scarf around my body. I didn’t want to seem ungrateful nor too over excited.
As it turned out she was one of our students who did this for a living. She was very good, and I recovered in a few minutes, and rushed back to my office relieved.
I asked them to refrain from doing that again, as it just wasn’t my favorite activity.
My old friend Jerry Grove called the school a few days prior to my birthday and asked to speak to my secretary. He told her that it was going to be my birthday, and that I was particularly fond of belly dancers, about as far from the truth as one could get.
The day of my birthday, I was called into the staff room, which was unusually full of faculty and staff, all grinning. I asked what was going on and they laughed, and brought in a cake. They sang happy birthday but everyone still looked oddly at me. Suddenly, I heard strange music flowing through the air, everyone was smiling in anticipation. Then, the sound of finger cymbals began to develop, and lo and behold, here she came, a vision of loveliness dancing her way into my heart. Veiled and belly out, she had Happy Birthday Arthur written on her belly in marker. I froze…what to do?
I went along with everyone and danced with the dancer as she played with her scarf around my body. I didn’t want to seem ungrateful nor too over excited.
As it turned out she was one of our students who did this for a living. She was very good, and I recovered in a few minutes, and rushed back to my office relieved.
I asked them to refrain from doing that again, as it just wasn’t my favorite activity.
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