Memories of a birthday past

OK, so it's not quite here yet, but something reminded me of what I was doing 5 years ago tomorrow, on my 21st birthday.
At the time, I was dating a guy named Steve. I had been dating him for a while at that point, so I knew that he was a decent gift-giver. For Christmas that year, he had given me a sweater that I didn't remember pointing out, but I was pleasantly surprised that he remembered. For Valentine's Day, he gave me pajamas, and won a bunch of stuff off of the radio, like free (nearly dead) roses, a free Chinese lunch, and a "special message" to me on air- he said "umm...wanna make out?"
Plus, he would do random nice things like buy me the new Radiohead cd the night it came out when I was having a bad day.
Like I said, good gift-giver.
So my birthday arrived, and we made lunch plans. He would pick me up after class, before University Choir rehearsal, and I would enjoy my first legal adult beverage. So, he picked me up, and in the car, handed me a wrapped gift. He was excited. "Happy birthday!!! Open it!!!" I looked at the oddly shaped package, and thought "what the hell?" But I opened it. Admid his glee, my face had to be priceless when I unwrapped the paper to find a Simpsons figuerine of Mo. "Get it? MO! Mo's the bartender! Cause you're 21", Steve said. "Yeah. I get it. Thanks." I wasn't smiling. I was absolutely confused. I'd been dating the guy for over 7 months, and all I get is a lunch and Simpsons toy?!!!?!??!! He could tell.
We arrived at the restaurant (a cute, artsy little place), and I ordered a glass of wine pronto. Steve was smiling. "What?" I said.
"Hahah. You thought that Mo was your gift, didn't you?"
"Well, ya. I mean, and lunch. And drinks tonight. Really, it's fine. Thank you."
"Man. I can't believe you thought that was the best I'd do." He handed me an envelope- inside was a gift certificate to a very nice spa in town, to basically get whatever I wanted times 2. I smiled and laughed and hugged him.
"You should have seen your face in the car. You were PISSED." He laughed.
I was! But it turns out that his good gift-giving sense also came with a side of humor.
He may not have been the right guy for me, but at least he knew how to give me a happy birthday.