Just this past weekend, I surprised my father on his 60th birthday out in Washington State. Actually, the surprise was on my entire family, minus a sister to collaborate with and execute my unexpected arrival. Ever since this past February, my siblings and I developed a very personal gift for our Dad: we created a video with personal sayings, music, and pictures of him growing up and all the way through to the current days of his children being all grown up. And then, this past Friday, we invited our parents and the rest of the siblings over to my brother and sister-in-law's home for dinner and to give them this surprise DVD celebrating the life and legacy of my father. Just a few days before this, we rehearsed a couple of Skype conference calls with two laptops in Washington, a laptop in Oregon, and ours in Michigan. We wanted the whole family to enjoy this time together and eliminate the feeling of being hundreds and thousands of miles apart. Of those two laptops in Washington, one would be aimed at the television and the other at my father so we could experience his reaction.
Needless to say, we put a whole lot of effort and planning into this idea, that is, until I pulled back the curtain on my siblings, arriving at the front door of the event just moments before the video would be given to our Dad. What an emotional time and a joyous one at that. My mother kept reminding me, "This doesn't feel real. Are you really here?"
Well, knowing I could pull off this five month-long surprise, I wasn't about to let out all the secrets. You see, I had also packed two cakes - carrot and chocolate - with me as well as a couple dozen cookies so that I could later assemble the infamous I.C.S.s (Ice cream Cookie Sandwiches).
Being with my family on this special occasion was priceless and I am very thankful to my wife and children for letting me go. Honestly, though, second to all the joy we had together was my experience with the TSA as I flew out to Washington State. The last time I traveled with cakes was when I brought one dozen cupcakes and surprised my sister at her high school graduation this past June. My backpack, filled with three 4-pack boxes, went through screening and resulted in no bag check. However, this time, I heard the ugly words, "Bag check!" One faithful TSA officer came over and grabbed my bag. Knowing that assisting him with my bag was not tolerated and could result in them confiscating my goods permanently - or until they got hungry - I let him carry it over to the shiny, metal table.
"Is there anything delicate in the bag?" he asked.
"Yes," I replied.
"And what might that be?"
"Cakes."
"Cakes?" he came back bewildered.
He opened the bag and found my two cakes, triple-bagged, and frozen for freshness. He engaged in idle chat and I explained I was a baker, bringing these out to celebrate my Dad's birthday. He continued to inspect and open my goods in a rehearsed, stoic demeanor. He untied the plastic bags holding the cakes and found the boxes resisted to open.
"Please be careful," I advised. "They're taped shut."
"Oh, well, we'll have to open them," He confirmed.
I thought to myself loudly, "
Really?!" I was worried I had said it out loud.
He pulled a key out from a nearby drawer, cut the taped edges, and carefully opened the boxes...and that's when his demeanor went from stoic to oddly cheery. "Oh! That's pretty!" he exclaimed with great delight. Surprised by the contrast, I engaged in more casual conversation about the cakes. He closed the box and resumed his stoic state. He moved on to the next cake, thinking
I can't believe he has to open the other, and, again, from stoic to surprised.
After my cakes received TSA approval, I gathered my things and held my laughter until I nearly reached my gate worried that he might hear me.
So, you never can go wrong with cake - especially carrot cake - on your birthday. Below are cakes for this week. I love making people's events taste that much sweeter!
