Surprise, Surprise

Last weekend I attended a Surprise 70th Birthday party. It was not the fact that the lady concerned was 70, she knew that. It was the fact that all the family turned out for lunch at a local carvery to see her. Organising a surprise event of any kind is fraught with danger and intrigue. There are many things that can go wrong, Auntie Maggie could unthinkingly let the cat out of the bag, telephone messages could be intercepted, conversations overheard.

The organiser will need to resort to sneaking and whispering in corners to ensure the stage is set for the big day. The victim needs to be coaxed to the right place at the right time. All of which can lead to suspicion and paranoia on the part of the intended victim.

On the big day, the family dutifully tucked themselves at the back of the chosen venue but soon got tired of waiting. Individuals started to drift towards the bar causing alarm from the organisers who felt the wanderers  might be spotted on the victims arrival.Fortunately, they were all shepherded back to their seats in the nick of time, The surprise was sprung and  the look on the victims face was a picture. There was no hint that she had cottoned on but you can never be sure.

In general, surprises tend to be of an unpleasant nature. You are more likely to find a spider in your shoe than money on the street ( or a Monet in the loft) King Harolds' arrow in the eye experience or Ronald Reagan being shot at would be considered not so welcome surprises. To quote Jane Austen ,"surprises are foolish things,the pleasure is not enhanced and the inconvenience often considerable" ( Emma,ch 26). Anyone who has had a car break down unexpectedly on the motorway will tell you that. I am also sure those people on the "unsinkable" Titanic would agree.

The likes of Lord Baden- Powell and the explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes have made careers out of "being prepared and avoiding unexpected events.

On the positive side, there is such a thing as serendipity with unexpected happy  benefits or perhaps the arrival of an email from a long lost friend.

In general though, like Jack and his magic beans which lead to him discovering fame and fortune, most happy accidents are confined to fairy tales. On balance then, I am not a big fan of surprises.