Happy Birthday Dad!

Flash Fiction

Happy Birthday Dad!

“If we stick it on the front, it might work better…” James said, staring at the jumble of puzzle pieces.

Dave looked up, “Which end is the front?”

“Well, it looks like it fits there. Are you sure there were no instructions in the box?”

“There isn’t even a picture. Plus, the box doesn’t look like a puzzle box either. I think it was my father’s when he was a kid and it just got stuffed in a box when he lost the real box or something.”

“So, you don’t even know what it’s a picture of?”

“No. I stuck it in my closet when we were cleaning the cellar a couple years ago.”

“A couple years?”

“Yeah, my father grew up in this house. He and Mom bought it when Gram went to the retirement place to be with her friends. I wasn’t even born yet. The house had all the things he grew up with and we’ve been clearing them out all my life. This puzzle was in the cellar; it used to be Dad’s so I just kept it.”

“What were you thinking?”

I just wanted to surprise him, at his birthday tomorrow, with his old puzzle all put together!”

Later, when the puzzle was finally done, the boys looked at it for many minutes. “This is awesome!” Frank finally said.

“You can’t give it to your Dad at the birthday dinner… you must know that…”

“Yeah, Mom and Greta will be there. I could surprise him with it during the day, when it’s just me and him… It would still be a present…”

“And a great one!” James said, looking at the picture puzzle of a teenage boy sitting under a tree with three totally naked girls…

“I think you’re right…” Dave said, “Happy Birthday indeed!!!”