i don’t much remember my sister’s sixteenth birthday (gimme a break, i was four – it’s possible that it was the big surprise party thrown at her boyfriend’s but i’d have to ask her) but i do remember when my brother turned sixteen.  my mom took the day off work and kept him out of school for the day.  they went to the DMV to get his driver’s license, they went out for a nice lunch, when i got home, we had a cake for him, and then she turned the car keys over to him for the rest of the evening.  it was a big deal.  not to the point of tiara’s and poofy dresses but there was definitely some pageantry to it. 

three years and two weeks later, i turned sixteen.  my mom went to work.  i went to school.  after school,  my friend jori stopped by the house and sang while handing me a slurpee with a candle in it.  it was the first, and was to be the last, birthday sentiment that i received that whole day.  my mom got home from work and there was no card, no cake.  i was pitifully reminiscent of molly ringwald.  sure, they all realized the next day that they had missed it and expressed their regret but that was little condolence.  heck, it was a month or so later that she finally found the time to take me to get my driver’s license.  i guess i just wasn’t sweet enough for sixteen.  maybe that’s why those birthday calls were so special to me after i moved out. 

anyhow, i never knew anyone to have a big soirée of a sweet sixteen party.  of course, i did expect a little more out of mine but it wasn’t to be.  so, how about you?  did you have a special day on your sixteenth birthday?