The young girl came into the living room, washed, dressed and curious.
Her parents had obviously been waiting for her. Her mother gave her a hug and said, “We have a special treat for you today.”
The girl looked around and said “It’s not a wrapped present is it?”
Her mother smiled. “No.”
“Are we going through the tunnels again Mummy?”
With a shake of her head she said, “No. Come on, we mustn’t be late.”
In the city they entered a huge building she had only ever walked past. Her father handed over a ticket and they made their way to a row of large shiny cylinders. As they approached, one of them opened and they stepped in. Her father handed his daughter an information leaflet and the car began to move. As they rode she read. The lift stopped and the door opened onto a foyer. She knew what was happening now, she had heard lots of stories about it.
She waved to her parents as she entered the cubicle and changed into skimpy top and bottom, hat and dark goggles. She stepped back out into the foyer.
A man in a uniform came forward.
“A special occasion for you miss. Just some simple rules; when the glass panel opens, go through to the chamber and stand inside the circle you can see on the floor there. When the canopy opens you have one full minute. When the bell rings, return through this same door. Any questions?”
She glanced across to where her parents had been sitting. They were getting up now and moving closer. She was shaking with excitement. Her mouth was too dry to speak, she shook her head. The door slid open and she walked forward nervously and stood patiently in the circle.
She heard the rumble of the canopy opening and looked up to see something she had never seen before. She raised her arms above her head and bathed in the sun’s rays. This was like nothing she had ever experienced before; not like anything she could have imagined.
Tears of joy and bliss welled up inside her goggles, and she could just make out her parents calling to her from behind the panel.
“Happy Birthday!”