The Ricker's birthday is coming up.

Make sure you call him. Because with the Ricker, every significant day--birthdays, Christmas, mother's day, grandmother's day--is a competition. His side of the family versus the other side. The Ricker keeps track of these calls, because his side is winning.

Remember to call Nana on Easter. Did you call? Good, none of the other cousins called. Remember to call Nana on Mother's Day, and Grandmother's Day. Perfect, the Ricker's kids were the only ones who called. Might as well call Nana on D-Day as well, since both of her husbands fought in World War II.

Even better, the Ricker remembers to call you, to remind you that you should be calling. Even if you've never missed a holiday, and even if you call Nana on other random days of the year, you will be reminded about how important it is to call Nana on President's Day, because only the Ricker's kids will be calling. On Nana's birthday, the Ricker called me three times--and even had my sister call me once--to give me my aunt's cell phone number so I could call Nana during her birthday lunch. Of course, I didn't call then--I called later, when my grandmother complained to me about the Ricker calling multiple times during lunch. I haven't missed a holiday in years, and I still get reminders.


But make sure you call the Ricker on his birthday, because I'm keeping score now.