The Birthday Surprise

To the average person, Ollie Mei was just a dog. She had two floppy ears, one wagging tail, and one perpetually wet nose. But what the average person didn’t realize was that Ollie Mei could play the piano. You heard me. She was a musician—secretly, of course. While her owners—Tabitha and Travis—knew of her talent, Ollie Mei had made it clear that she wanted to keep it under wraps. She had no desire to become famous. She was a shy dog, you see.

On the eve of Travis’s fortieth birthday, Tabitha received the terrible news that the hired band couldn’t make it. Apparently, the lead singer had the flu and had passed it on to his bandmates. Tabitha was distraught. It was too late to hire another band, and there wasn’t enough time to find a DJ. Ollie Mei could see how upset Tabitha was, so she decided to help her out, making this one exception for her favorite treat-giver.

As everyone gathered to take pictures and eat cake, Ollie Mei realized it was time to make her entrance. She trotted over to the piano, gracefully tapping on several keys before finding the beginning notes. When the crowd started singing “Happy Birthday to You,” Ollie Mei played along, hitting every note effortlessly. The guests all cheered, and Tabitha and Travis were thrilled. It really was the happiest of birthdays, thanks to Ollie Mei and her exceptional talent.