Dad

How many children's birthdays pass before a mother runs out of clever birthday cake ideas? Looking back at my family's photo albums, a picture of a special birthday cake marks each passing year. Teddy bears, baseball caps, ladybugs, a deck of cards, all transformed by my mother into a delicious dessert topped with homemade icing.

As my siblings and I grew older, the cakes became less personalized and spectacular as our lives became more hectic. My mother spent so much time driving us around town for all our activities, therefore we could not blame her for this shift. My birthday had proven to be an especially busy time of year for my family, occurring in the middle of October with my younger brother's birthday the following day, and I remember one year in particular when my father decided to help out by making my cake. He chose to make his famous marble cheesecake, never to be forgotten by myself.

I should add that my father is extremely proud of his cheesecake; he loves the shower of compliments he receives from all who try it. He deserves this pride, though, as it won him first place in a cheesecake- baking contest at our neighborhood park when we were young. And what man would not be excited to have his cheesecake chosen over those cheesecakes of many mothers from the area?

When I grew old enough to be trusted alone in the kitchen, I surprised him by making a cheesecake for his birthday. By using his popular recipe, I wanted to impress him and return the favor of making my birthday cakes for the past couple years. Just as I had hoped, as I pulled the cheesecake out of the oven, my father wandered into the kitchen, drawn by that smell he loved so much.

I will never forget my father's reaction to cheesecake; the child-like grin, big eyes, and instant reach for a fork will always remain in my memory. His reaction reveals true happiness and excitement, brought to mind every time I eat cheesecake. If anyone should decide to eat a slice of cheesecake in his presence, I should warn him/her to protect their slice from the sudden attack of his fork. I speak from experience; many times my own cheesecake has been unwillingly shared with him!