Nadira Goffe

And my mom visibly kicks her underneath the table so hard that it is etched into my brain. Like whatever subtlety was required in that moment.

And my mom visibly kicks her underneath the table so hard that it is etched into my brain. Like whatever subtlety was required in that moment.

But instead, my mom's choice was to kick her sister underneath the table in such a fashion that it was you couldn't ignore it if you wanted to.

But instead, my mom's choice was to kick her sister underneath the table in such a fashion that it was you couldn't ignore it if you wanted to.

So I'm like, OK, I'm having a surprise birthday party. And obviously, I now have to keep this secret for months because my birthday's in May and this was either fall or Christmas time.

So I'm like, OK, I'm having a surprise birthday party. And obviously, I now have to keep this secret for months because my birthday's in May and this was either fall or Christmas time.

Oh, yes. I keep the secret for months. And of course, on my birthday, my mom's like, let's choose a new outfit. We'll go to dinner. You can get your hair done. I'm like, OK, sounds great. We show up to this random ass location in Northern Liberties, which at over 10 years ago, guys, was not the area that it is now. It was very much empty lots and warehouses.

Oh, yes. I keep the secret for months. And of course, on my birthday, my mom's like, let's choose a new outfit. We'll go to dinner. You can get your hair done. I'm like, OK, sounds great. We show up to this random ass location in Northern Liberties, which at over 10 years ago, guys, was not the area that it is now. It was very much empty lots and warehouses.

It was not the gentrified area full of bars and things that the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia is today.

It was not the gentrified area full of bars and things that the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia is today.

It's fine. I'm from Philadelphia. I'm not crazy about it whatsoever. It's cool. So yeah, so basically the end of the story is we show up at this random location and I'm like, how would you explain this as being a place for dinner or something? And I don't remember what my mom said. I think she said something about like, we have to stop here for a second or something like that. And I'm like, okay.

It's fine. I'm from Philadelphia. I'm not crazy about it whatsoever. It's cool. So yeah, so basically the end of the story is we show up at this random location and I'm like, how would you explain this as being a place for dinner or something? And I don't remember what my mom said. I think she said something about like, we have to stop here for a second or something like that. And I'm like, okay.

And so we walk into this place. But the whole time I'm thinking, how am I going to feign surprise since I know what's coming?

And so we walk into this place. But the whole time I'm thinking, how am I going to feign surprise since I know what's coming?

And obviously, as soon as we walk in, all of my friends and family and family friends are there and they yell surprise. And there's like phone cameras out and everyone's videotaping me and they're all singing. And I black out. I'm like, I don't know what happened. And my friends later are like, this is maybe a year later.

And obviously, as soon as we walk in, all of my friends and family and family friends are there and they yell surprise. And there's like phone cameras out and everyone's videotaping me and they're all singing. And I black out. I'm like, I don't know what happened. And my friends later are like, this is maybe a year later.

They're like, do you remember what you did for your birthday when we were singing to you? And I was like, no. And they were like, you started dancing and rocking back and forth and singing along.

They're like, do you remember what you did for your birthday when we were singing to you? And I was like, no. And they were like, you started dancing and rocking back and forth and singing along.

16 year old me did not know how to lock that shit down. I've since been a theater kid. Well, I was always a theater kid. Maybe not a good one, but I've become a better one. Anyway, long story short, I've always wanted a surprise party, which is why my mom wanted to throw me one. And I still, to this day, have not had one.

16 year old me did not know how to lock that shit down. I've since been a theater kid. Well, I was always a theater kid. Maybe not a good one, but I've become a better one. Anyway, long story short, I've always wanted a surprise party, which is why my mom wanted to throw me one. And I still, to this day, have not had one.