In addition to taking orders for cabs from the townspeople of the burg that I live in, my company also has a number of larger vehicles. We run shuttles between area hotels and the local airport, they are usually booked for wedding parties, etc. We also have a handful of sedans and a couple of stretch limos.
At 9:30 AM, still rather pre-coffee for me, my phone rang with a very polite woman on the other end of the line inquiring about the largest vehicle my company owns. That would be a 29-passenger bus.
“Oh, that’s too big,” she said.
“Well, how many people are you thinking,” I asked, pondering to myself that this call was probably booking transport for a wedding party or something.
“Well, I’m planning a surprise birthday party for my 13-year-old daughter … do you guys have a Hummer?”
My vocal cords are suffering because of the cold I’ve been battling, but my temporary speechlessness had nothing to do with phlegm.
Long story short, I had to tell the lady that my company does not have a Hummer, the largest strech limo we have seats 10, etc., etc. She was going to do some thinking and she’d call me back.
OK – I do not want to come off as some judgmental beeatch, but I was stunned, a wee bit dismayed and just baffled by that phone call. This woman was and will be shelling out close to $120 per hour for her daughter’s 13th birthday. For transportation. And who knows – maybe this kid is a brilliant genius who saves stray kittens on her weekends. Maybe, god forbid, she’s ill and her folks want to give her a really awesome birthday party. But my sense is not telling me either of these circumstances are the case. I think that the mom is planning a 13th birthday party of extravagant proportions and the reality of that is just beating me over the head with a dead fish.
Every once in awhile, Future Husband and I get into discussions about what kind of parents we want to be when we “grow up” (i.e. – have kids other than the Evil Cat). I’m going to ask him tonight if limo rental is in the cards for our kids’ future birthday parties. Knowing FH, he’s going to give me a look and just go back to playing “Diablo.”
I’m sorry if I’m coming off as judgmental, but man alive – what’s this lady going to do for next year’s birthday? Rent a helicopter?
Wow! I know times have changed, and I can’t truthfully say I remember my 13th birthday, but it was probably like others I remember: cake and ice cream, mom & dad, brothers, and possibly a few aunts & uncles. We just didn’t DO parties with all the pals. I don’t remember all my friends doing those types of parties either. Maybe a sleepover but that’s really about it.
It does a little ridiculous, but totally doesn’t shock me. For my 16th birthday, my parents rented me a limo for 5 hours for me and about 7 or 8 of my friends. Except, that was the whole party. We drove around in the limo, feeling cool and went to a midnight showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show, then had a nice, safe ride home. Extravagant? Sure. But insane? Probably not. Pretty cheap compared to my friends Sweet Sixteens or Bat/Bar Mitzvahs.
You’re not the beeatch – she is. Can you think of a worse moment this decade to so extravagantly display your wealth to your neighbors? No one needs to see that kind of pointless spending at a time when most of us are nervous about our financial futures. Most non-celebrities know this.
P.S. Michelle – I really enjoy your topics and style
Erica – you had me sold at Rocky Horror Picture Show – that is one of my favorite movies of all time and if you loved it at 16 … you can have a limo.
MMKate – thanks for the warm words – I’m still sniffling and sneezing through my cold and that so brightened my day.
Lizajane – I had a similar upbringing. I lived out in the country, all my friends lived in town and I had a July birthday – I was a bit behind the 8-ball until about 16 when I could finally drive.
It makes it hard for other parents when they see something like this. There you have one parent going wayyyy overboard for her daughter. Ok, now flash to one of the other girls’ 13th birthdays. Will she feel bad if she just has a normal party? 13 year old girls can be mean enough to each other…why add this sort of thing?