Show-Off Starts New Year’s Eve Countdown from 20
Peacocking in front of my pregnant wife? Really?
The time was 11:50pm on New Year’s Eve.
We were all excited to enter the new year, but I began to grow nervous as it was my year to lead the New Year’s Eve countdown.
My friends and I trade off countdown duties every year so no one person has to solely carry the weight of starting the count.
With minutes to go, my friend’s new boyfriend, Terrance, approached me and asked, “Hey, can I start the countdown this year?”
Umm…. okay? Going to lead the countdown on your first year with the group? Good luck!
“Sure, all yours,” I said, out of courtesy for the newcomer.
The clock struck 11:59pm and we all started getting ready for the big countdown; my friends and I quietly chatting shit:
“He’ll surely trip over his words.”
“Bit too big for his britches, eh.”
“Good luck hitting all ten numbers!”
Then at 11:59 and 40 seconds, Terrance began counting: “20… 19… 18…”
What the heck? He’s counting down starting from 20?!
My friends and I looked at one another as if to say, “Yeah, right,” but he kept going… and going… and going until he got all the way to 1, and shouted “Happy New Years!” with his shit eating grin.
The clock turned 12:08 and everyone had congratulated Terrance on his countdown:
“That was the best countdown we’ve ever had!”
“You better be back next year.”
All I could think about is how that should have been me.
I had to speak with Terrance and let him know what was on my mind before leaving.
“Terrance, that wasn’t cool what you pulled back there,” I told him. “You know, usually we start the countdown from 10, not 20.”
He smiled at me and said, “Okay, champ,” before leaving the room.
On the drive home, my wife told me she thought of a new name for our expected baby: Terrance.