Cake Boss

As I was growing up, one of my favorite things about birthdays, especially mine, was the cake.  The cake always had to come from Woolworth's where I always wanted my one-inch-thick icing to turn into two.  Since the close of Woolworth's many years ago, the delight of a birthday cake has been a much diluted experience for me, that is, until last night.  The birthday cake that greeted the guests upon arrival was simply a work of art.  It really needed to be in an art gallery and not my stomach.  I had never seen anything so spectacular.  It was like looking at the best Christmas tree I had ever created and then discovering it was fully edible.  There's no way to describe this cake other than to say it was a masterpiece.  Tonight, I'm suffering from the indulgence of one too many pieces.  But, how do you say no to such a good friend on her birthday when all she wants is for you to enjoy another piece?  I think my learning is in just that, saying no, or more politely, no thank you.  Tonight, my stomach actually hurts and the result of all that sugar is taking a well deserved hit on my brain.  I guess when you don't eat such things in such quantities for such a while, you can really notice it when one piece turns into another, and so on and so on.  Yes, I am fully willing to admit that the enjoyment kept on going.  I am also willing to admit that right in this moment, I am comletely sick of cake.  I think I had my fill for the next ten birthdays--mine and everybody else's.  Oh, the hold that piece of cake had on me.   Was it worth it--right now, I don't think so.  As it was going down, certainly.  So, this is about the time you live with the deep regret of all that sugar and all those carbohydrates.  I'm sure I will be into the next two days walking that off.  Oh well, my fault.  Maybe the next time, I'll silently make my own wish and hand the knife to someone else.