Introducing Billy
BIRTHDAY
By Delbert Bickenstaff 

My sixth birthday was the best ever! Mom and Dad gave me a new bike and is it ever a beauty. It’s bigger than my old one. I’m being careful to ride it only in the driveway because I don’t want to wreck it. After all the snow is gone I’ll ride it in the street. 

We did go to a high class restaurant for my birthday dinner. Dad picked the place. The waiters sang Happy Birthday to me and gave me a cake with candles on it. Then they asked me if I wanted them to sing Happy Birthday backwards. I thought that would be funny so I said yes. They turned around with their backs toward us and sang it. 

Well, I have learned to write my whole name: BILLY CLARKE. Doesn’t that look nice? I don’t know why there is an E on the end of CLARK because we don’t pronounce it. Maybe I’ll take it off some day. 

My Mexican friend Carlos is teaching me to count in Spanish. Uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinco. I asked Grandpa how he knew how to spell those words and he said that he studied Spanish when he was in College. 

Carlos told me that his family came from Vera Cruz in Mexico. Wouldn’t it be fun for Carlos and me to go to Mexico and visit Vera Cruz. I’m going to ask Grandpa to teach me a song in Spanish and then I’ll surprise Carlos. 

I forgot to tell you that I got some new video games for Christmas, so I have plenty to do to keep me busy. 

Adios.