A Birthday Story of Sorts

It was my friend Amanda's birthday over the weekend.  She is a very old and dear friend; old, not in the aged sense, but in terms of duration.  I will write her a small story for her day that goes a little something like this:

Once upon a time or two ago, two travelers rendezvoused in an undisclosed location.  You see, they were friends.  Friends who enjoyed both the in-of-doors and the out-of-doors.  On this particular time, they chose an out-of-door location that was filled with trees, which is the material out of which some persons choose to construct doors.  The friends walked among the trees.  They admired the trees.  They picked the leaves from trees to hang on their refrigerators.  Leaves were chosen based on the following criteria (criterion?): vibrancy of color, size, symmetry.  They had a picnic, during which they held races for their leaves.  Note: Leaf races take several months to complete, seeing as the track is merely the distance from branch to ground.  Watching an entire leaf race is very tedious and time consuming, and I would not recommend it for those who are mobile.  However, Leaf Race Viewing is a  very enjoyable past-time when taken in small doses of an hour or two, especially when and where the climate is favorable and one has a serviceable lawn blanket and pair of rockin' shades.  [If you do find yourself in a leaf race area, be advised: betting on leaf races is very chancy and is generally discouraged.]  When the friends left, the two leaves were neck-and-neck, and as no spectators were present when they fell, we have assumed a tie. 

Side note to make this more birthday-like: If you were a leaf on a tree, I would not pluck you from the branch.  Leaves only enjoy a long, healthy life of leafhood when attached to the tree from whence they sprung.  Yea, verily, I would leaf you on the tree.  But, before passing by, I would comment on your perfect color, size and symmetry, and maybe snap a picture of the two of us together, because time spent with beautiful leaves is always too short.  I would come and see you again, and perhaps you would fly over and visit me on vacations.

Inasmuch as you are less like a leaf than you are a friend and fellow-traveller, I wish you, this summer, a very happy summer and fall of leaf-watching and various other restful and rejuvenating activities.  Also, I wish we could go outside and have a birthday picnic together.  The end.