Ever since I can remember, my parents have had this cassette tape of a children’s birthday song that had my name in it. Every morning at 6:00am, my mother would creep into my bedroom with a cassette player blasting Captain Zoom’s Birthday song. I would always feign annoyance but inside I was beaming, my heart exploding with excitement.

I woke up this morning, now 25 years old, and I didn’t feel the glow of waking up another day older. Nothing was different about this day. There wasn’t a cassette tape, no cake, balloons or party hats. No one jumped out from a hiding place to yell “Surprise!” It was just me, another person with another birthday, like billions of others on the planet. I wasn’t a child anymore and couldn’t give in to childish memories. I brushed my teeth, I drove to work, listening to a little Lykke Li.

At a stop light, I noticed I had received a voice message. It was from my mother. I could hear her press the play button and the familiar sound of Captain Zoom’s rocket ship.

Hey, Cristina!
It’s your birthday!
I’m in charge of the stars
And I’m here to say,
’cause Cristina,
You’re the BIG STAR today!

Of course, this is the part where I started to cry. Despite my tears, I wondered why in the world my mother still owned a cassette player.

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