aftershave, body lotionMy mom’s 50th birthday was only a week away and I still hadn’t booked a ticket home for the surprise party. I was banking on a seat opening up late for a super discounted price and the travel site I was a part of alerting me to it. With four days until the surprise birthday celebration that alert had not come. I had my aftershave, toothbrush, collared shirt and present packed up and ready to go in a suitcase in my bedroom closet. At this point, a plane ticket was way more money then I could afford. With no other options, I got in the car the day of her birthday and hit the road.

While bombing down the freeway towards the state line, I let my grandma and uncle who were planning the party know when I’d get there. My mom got off work around five and the surprise party was set for 7pm at my grandma’s house. She had already called my mom to tell her to come by around that time for a small dinner before she went out with her friends. What mom didn’t know were all her friends and kids would be waiting with huge smiles on their faces.

I had an idea of when I’d get there. If I went the speed limit, I’d arrive around 6:15. Before leaving I’d gone to a hair care place to clean up, slapped on aftershave and thrown on a nice outfit. Should have rethought this process because over five hours in the car makes me a smelly guy. I realized during the drive there I didn’t pack men’s cologne. I had just gone to MCQ Superstore at http://www.mcqsuperstore.com/ for a new bottle of men's cologne too. Heck, by the time I got there a spray of fragrance perfume would have been better then nothing. I smelled like a wet dog who just shook himself off on the shore of a lake.

My mom had called ahead and said she would be there a little before 7.  She ended up arriving, thankfully we were all there, at 6:45. She was moved to tears, which may have been because I didn’t have any men’s cologne on. I found scented body lotion in the bathroom at my grandma’s after arriving. That was it. Hair care in place, aftershave splashed on the cheeks and body lotion rubbed into the skin did not take the place of a long shower and spray of men's cologne. Mom didn’t care though.