Once she heard her name being called, she started jittering with anxiety. She still made her way towards the door, but what could they possibly want from her? Why did she have to stand up in front of the entire assembly? He heart was beating fast and felt her face turning red. As soon as she stood in front of the door, she panicked inside. Did anyone know her secret?
Frances Buzzard worked as a janitor at Belle Elementary School, and all the children there were totally smitten by her. For Frances, being a custodian was serious business, and she loved mentoring the students every chance she got. Just being surrounded by little kids had an amazing effect on her. Being 77 years old, she was energetic and upbeat, and beyond capable of doing the job.
The school principal decided to do a little snooping around Frances’ past, which kind of made her feel worried. She knew it was absolutely necessary, particularly if she wanted her plan to work. But when the principal dug around a little deeper, she discovered something that could change Frances’ life forever. Without her knowing it, the secret she unfolded could turn her world upside-down.
That day, the principal made all 200 students head to the assembly hall. For some reason, she wanted them to be present for what was about to unfold. The kids were usually pretty quiet, but on that particular day, you could hear a pin drop. The principal was delighted to call Frances name over the loudspeaker. She needed her, fast.
After the principal at Belle Elementary School did some digging into Frances’ past, she unveiled a secret she had been hiding for years. That’s when she realized that she needed to do something about it. Frances just couldn’t go on hiding the truth anymore. So she devised an intervention, so to speak, and the entire school would finally know the truth.
Frances was minding her business, much like any other day, polishing floors, and cleaning the kitchen until it was spotless. Suddenly, she heard her name being summoned over the loudspeaker. The principal needed her in the assembly hall. She wondered if perhaps, she was supposed to clean that area too, but her instincts told her that something else was going on. That’s when she felt her stomach tied up in knots.
Frances made her way towards the closed doors of the assembly hall. She anxiously walked towards it, trying to come up with an explanation as to why they were calling her over a loudspeaker. When that happens, it is rarely good news. Frances already knew that the students were supposed to be at the assembly hall during this time-slot. So whatever was about to unfold, Frances knew it would go on in front of the kids.
Her mind started racing fast. She thought of every potential scenario as she opened the door and made her way through it. What if someone had complained about her? Would they force her to retire? Or worse…is this how she’d end up getting fired? In front of everybody? She thought of every potential situation, but she knew there was another reason why they may be calling her.
Once Frances opened the door, she came to find a crowd of silent faces. Everybody was staring at her. She could feel the palms of her hands getting sweaty, and her mouth drying up fast. She really didn’t like being the center of attention. She was scared to find out the reason why they had summoned her, but she could’ve never predicted what happened next.
Frances expected the worst, and really didn’t have a clue as to why she was there. That’s when she suddenly heard the children singing “Happy birthday.” She was completely taken by surprise! Not only were they wishing her a happy birthday a week in advance, but she couldn’t figure out how they knew it was her birthday either! She never told a single soul. In fact, Frances wasn’t the type to celebrate any of her birthdays!
As Frances came to find out, it was the students’ idea to plot together her secret surprise birthday party. And the principal was beyond happy to help! Frances absolutely deserved it, as she had been a loyal employee for ages, and they wanted to celebrate her life. That’s when the principal decided to find out when she was born. But she also found another secret.
Much to the principal’s dismay, she discovered that Frances had never celebrated her birthday, not even once in her life! This was really heartbreaking to hear, so she decided that she couldn’t go on like this. So she started to plan the surprise party along with the kids, and even ordered personalized cupcakes. She helped the little ones create a special slideshow for Frances as well.
They found a seat for Frances, and the slideshow began. Then, hilarity ensued! They had Photoshopped Frances’ face on every historical moment in history, such as Woodstock, and the moon landing. It was the perfect way to celebrate her 77 years on this planet. Frances’ eyes started to tear up, as she couldn’t believe how much effort the kids had put into this.
Frances never really celebrated a birthday as a child, because she was raised in a very poor family. Her parents simply couldn’t afford it. “I don’t remember any. They didn’t do things like that. We didn’t have Christmas parties either. They would get us fruits and nuts when they could afford it,” she explained.
Frances was ecstatic to be celebrating her first birthday party at 77 years old! She would never forget what it felt like to be in the spotlight for a day. Her story is a beautiful reminder of how important it is to appreciate those in our lives. Love and kindness truly have the potential to change the world, and even a little gesture can make a difference in someone’s life.