Second Sweet 16
Matt Seinberg

If you think having two daughters is easy, take moment to re-think that idea. In my home, six females outnumber me; three are human, three are feline. It isn't easy. The three felines I could have controlled, but didn't. The two daughters, maybe, perhaps we used the wrong position and day.

I told Melissa, four years ago after we had Michelle's Sweet 16 Party, that she could have her choice of a big party or a nice family vacation. She never really told me what she wanted until the middle of the summer past.

Melissa didn't want a big party. She wanted to go to Universal Orlando and see Harry Potters World. Okay, that's doable, but not until next year.

Michelle had an idea, a surprise Sweet 16 Party.

Then Michelle, her sister, came up with the brilliant idea of throwing Melissa a surprise Sweet 16 Party, in our backyard. Michelle would do all the planning and pay for the whole thing. Her guest list omitted people that needed an invitation and would attended as well as those we knew would not attend, but must be invited as good form.

Michelle didn't have the money to pay for the entire party. Marcy and I paid for the cake, catered Italian food, beverages, candy, snacks and other miscellaneous things. Michelle paid for the balloons, decorations and a nice tapestry to hand outside, as a backdrop for taking photographs. It's interesting that of all the pictures I took, I didn't get one of her and Melissa.

We ended up having fifty people, which is a nice crowd for a Saturday night. Our neighbours were invited; they contributed by letting us use their folding tables and chairs, a cooler and pop up tent.

Melissa has very good super power like hearing when she wants to use it. One night she heard Marcy and I talking about the party and things we wanted to do. She also found stuff in Michelle's closet. Her best friend, Kate, supposedly told her of the party, as well.

What bothered me was the not only the fact that Melissa knew, of the party, but she let us know that she knew. I would have been perfectly fine with her knowing about the party, if she didn't let us know that she knew. Does that make any sense?

Every chance Melissa got, she gave us a little dig.

It made my blood boil. I even went as far to tell her that I contacted everybody and cancelled the party. She didn't believe me.

I have a long time radio friend, Chunky, formerly Big Boy. He works in Portland, Oregon, one of my favourite cities and home to my Uncle Jay. Chunky used to work here in New York, at 92.3 WNOW-FM, doing nights. I told both the girls I invited him and his fiancée, Kristin, to the party.

They looked at me with much skepticism; they really didn't believe me. What I did was arrange for him to call and talk to Melissa. He did call me when I asked at 6 pm, but somehow I missed his call. I ended up calling him and giving Melissa the phone. Michelle, of course, had to talk to him as well.

Here's the rub. Melissa isn't as big a fan of his, as is Michelle, so her reaction was lukewarm at best. Chunky is a great fellow and a terrific DJ. He has done many favours for me over the years. When we had Michelle's Sweet 16 Party, Chunky recorded a shout out for her that I included in a music montage I produced.

Speaking of music, I asked my friend Pat O'Briant, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, to put together a playlist of all the number one songs from October 2000 to today. He did a great job. He recorded a shout out for Melissa, as well. My friend Richie Norris, in Albany, NY, is a great jingle collector; he put together the year shouts that I used in front of all the songs.

Then I asked other radio friends to record shout outs, as well. I used these shout outs after the jingles. It was a fun project, but I don't think Melissa appreciated the effort, though Michelle did.

I also put together a photo collage of Melissa through the years, from birth until today. I put a white matte around it and had everyone at the party sign it. It's now framed and ready to go on her wall.

Many friends, of Melissa, attended. I met a boy that she's "friends" with and she denies wanting to date him. Michelle and I both think she does, but won't admit it. Remember what I think of all teenage boys, they are walking hormones. I had him read this plaque, “If any dating does occur, he'll also have to meet Derek Jeter, my Louisville Slugger.” I made sure he understood it.

Friends of Melissa come in two distinct groups, school and camp

Friends of Melissa come two distinct groups, school and camp. Some of them get along, some don't. It was interesting to see how they took seats at different tables. I watched Melissa go back and forth between them.

We've known some of these girls since kindergarten and recognizing them today is difficult. When I was sixteen, girls didn't look like they do today. I believe it's something in the water.

Melissa got a nice combination of gift cards, cash and checks. She gave me the checks to deposit and she's keeping the rest. One of the things she wants to do is go to yet another, "Panic at The Disco," concert, this time at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with her friend Liv. She takes it for granted we'll let her go. I told her to talk to her mother. She replied that Marcy didn't care and then Marcy woke up and said she couldn't go. I'm not getting in the middle of that one.

Now I have to plan the vacation for next year. Is it going to be a cruise or a theme park? Stay tuned to find out!