Happy birthday, Percy! You were the one who started it all, and the greatest hero ever. You definitely deserve, for once, a happy birthday.

Sally Jackson watched, smiling, as her four year old son bounced around the room with his toy boat. Of course he loved the sea, just like his father. He didn't know that, though. He was all too young to understand that his father was Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of the sea. But he did love the blue chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven right now. It was Percy's fourth birthday, and he deserved something special.

Sally had worked overtime to buy Percy a present, only to lose her job. He would be so disappointed. Her heart ached for her little boy. They were barely getting by, and she needed to find employment, fast. Tomorrow she had yet another job interview. She only wished her uncle hadn't gotten sick and she'd been able to finish college.

Percy yelled, "Mommy! I wanna go play with Jack!"

"Okay, honey, but be home in time for dinner." Sally prayed Jack was not a monster as Percy ran across the hall, grinning broadly. She took the cheap 4 candle out of its drawer and peered at the cookies, still in the oven. She didn't have a cake, but cookies were Percy's favorites anyway. It was getting close to five o'clock, and she walked across the hall.

"Percy! Time for dinner!" Percy bounded into the apartment and sat down.

"Can I have the cookies?" he asked, the enthusiasm radiating off of him almost visible.
"Not now, sweetie."

"Aw. Do I have to eat the spinach? It's my birthday. Please?" He gave a troublemaker's grin.

"Oh, all right," Sally sighed, removing the spinach. His grin was irresistible.

"Yay!"
Percy finished his meal, and Sally turned off the lights. She picked up the tray of cookies and began to sing.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, Happy birthday dear Percy, happy birthday to you!" Percy clapped as he blew out the candle and dug into the cookies. Sally wished this moment would last forever.

"No," she whispered. He couldn't be gone. What if he missed his birthday?

Percy flung open the door on his seventeenth birthday.

"Mom!" Sally wanted to cry with happiness.

"You're just in time for the blue chocolate chip cookies."

Sorry it was so short. Live from the dam snack bar,

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