One Ahoy

The birthday invitation goes out for a one-year-old who will spend most of his own party on somebody's hip. Guests arrive in seersucker and boat shoes, which lasts about as long as the shade does. There is a tub of drinks on the porch, a platter of sandwiches cut into quarters, and one high chair positioned where every camera can reach it. The honoree is handed around in a navy romper with a brass anchor on the front, and he is pleasant about it for a surprisingly long stretch.

Then the cake arrives. It is small, it is navy, and it goes directly onto the tray, the chair, the floor and the romper in that order. Two grandmothers move in with napkins and are waved off by the photographer. Afterward there is a hose, a second outfit, and a long slow hour of adults finishing their lunch while the guest of honor falls asleep against somebody's shoulder.