On Sunday I was invited to Ellen Basnik’s birthday party I didn’t want to go Of course you have to go Mom said Ellen’s in your Hebrew-school class So I went At the party we did face painting We watched funny black-and-white cartoons We ate cake and ice cream We opened presents And then came Happy the Clown riding a little bicycle across the backyard He threw chocolate coins at us
Happy made balloon animals When I was the only one left he said And what kind of animal do you want pardner Can you make a rat Happy looked at me Don’t ruin the act son he said You’re getting a rabbit I accidentally left the rabbit on Ellen Basnik’s piano Can you make a rat
At the park I sat on a swing and imagined that my dad was an accountant I didn’t really know what accountants did but that was okay Teddy Minkoff’s father was an international shipping manager and Teddy didn’t know what that was either Regular jobs are the kind that kids don’t understand
