1001 Nights Cast

For his fortieth she planned a big surprise party. She wanted to give him the best night of his life. He needed it. She needed to do it for him.

The renovations which she had started two years ago were completed, as planned, in time for the celebration. As planned, he had been taken away for the day on a boat by her friend’s husband, the latest addition to their social circle.

He was told the boat trip was a men’s only affair. That freed her for the day to organise the house, set up the streamers, the lights and the flowers.

The food caterers set themselves up in the kitchen in the late afternoon; hors d’oeuvres were to be followed by a three course meal after the speeches, then a dance break followed by dessert and cheeses.

She had invited all their friends and on that day they were welcomed with floating candles at the gate and along the path to the front door. Waiters with French champagne floated inside the house and under the marquee by the swimming pool.

He was due to arrive soon, the timing was to be after the arrival of all the guests so they could shout in unison, ‘Surprise’, as he appeared at the front door.

A butterfly, she fluttered in the evening amongst the guests and posed for a greeting here, a remark there, spreading her excitement at the surprise awaiting him.

The hum of the guests, all beautiful and forty, was building up; conversations about private schools, cricket stats, real estate, safe conversations, about renovations, recent holidays, and escapes to other seasons on the other side of the globe.

The lights were dimmed enough to leave the sparkle in the champagne and in people’s eyes as the night went on.

Her friend’s husband drove him home and they arrived at seven thirty. He was dressed in a suit as he was expecting to be going out to a restaurant with his wife to celebrate his fortieth year, quietly, a tête-à-tête kind of fashion. But this, a crowd, was not what he was expecting. This was really her best performance, the mother of all shows, all birthdays, all parties…, all surprises. His best friends from school, from university, his lecturers, his work colleagues, his whole life was there, spread in all the rooms of his house right up to the back yard where his favourite music was pumping out of the juke box.

He was surprised.

He was trapped in a whirlpool of emotions. He felt trapped like an exhibit, on show for the rest of the night. He could not exit without someone accompanying him, trying to catch up with him after so many years of not seeing each other or since their last golf game a week ago.

The champagne came and he took another flute before his speech.

Ever since his university years, he’s been known to be articulate, funny, a charismatic speaker. He was also known as the only one who could have won her, the most beautiful girl in his year, desired by everyone but unattainable, except by him. Everyone knew how he had idolised her, how he still idolises her, how she stayed with him even though he gave her freedom to leave, to try others.

Here they all were again, twenty years later, at his fortieth, with their respective partners, no longer questioning, nor seeking, contented and busy.

He was speechless but not for long. Whatever he would say afterwards would be reflected upon as the most eloquent speech ever given on a fortieth.

What he spoke about on that night, after a day of fishing with her friend’s husband, was his love for her, his wife of eighteen years, the only woman he ever loved, the only woman he could ever love. He praised her talents, thanked her, toasted her for making him the luckiest man in the world.

No woman was left unenvious of his devotion and loyalty. Sensing lacks in their own relationships, they distanced themselves quietly from their husbands. Men, uncomfortable, tried putting their arms around their partners, a gesture of guilt but also an offer for reconciliation, for a new beginning, where love expressed would be at the forefront, ahead of all the other priorities of daily living.

Whispers were heard from the sides, about how he has never changed; she, his queen always from the first day he met her, and he, her faithful obliging admirer. Theirs was the relationship all their friends dreamt of having. But only he was intelligent enough, strong, passionate enough to create it, sustain it, make it part of daily life, for he was not an ordinary man.

Main course was served and soon after some guests started dancing. She was surrounded by the women congratulating her, studying her smile, her dreamy eyelids, the ring in her laughter, hoping to replicate in their own lives, the magic, the love in hers.

Under the marquee, amongst the dancing crowd, a hand went out to him and offered him the first dance. A slight hesitation, but then he responded. Together, after a long day on the boat fishing, he and her friend’s husband danced the rock and roll. Their large expansive movements pushed other dancing couples towards the margins.

On his fortieth, he was held firmly around the waist, twirled and turned, caught and pulled and let free. Others on the dance floor looked inadequate, too sober for the night. They covered their awkward steps with too many words, and soon left to get another champagne or because the music was not right for them.

But for him on his fortieth, the music was just right. On the dance floor he did not utter a word to his dancing partner. The language exchanged between them inhabited every step, every turn of their rock and roll routine. In the dim light by the pool, only the sparkle in the champagne and the twinkle in their eyes could be seen.