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Fractional Birthdays

My brother and I were born exactly two and a half years apart. To avoid an ugly scene on birthdays when only one sibling was rightfully entitled to presents, the other child got a token gift in celebration of his “half birthday.” Thus fractional birthdays are a family tradition.

Anne turned 33 last week. As a recovering LP record collector, that number is especially significant to me. I thought it would be cool to celebrate her 33-1/3 birthday with a big party where everyone would bring their favorite albums to play on my vintage turntable. Well, it would be fun for me anyway.

I mentioned this idea to a friend who collects 78 records. Naturally, he thought it was a great idea. He's my friend, after all. What's more, he has a collector friend who will be turning 78 this year who thought of the same idea. Unlike us, I think he will actually go through with the party. (Trivia: 78-rpm records actually play at 78.26 rpm, so his party would be about three months after his actual birthday.)

Not to make you hungry, but I'm writing this between bites of the last piece of Anne's birthday cake, a sensuous triple chocolate cake from Aux Petits Delices in Wayne.