Hooray For Today!
Thursday, January 26th, 2012
I was already wide awake. But I couldn’t go back to sleep anymore. It was 2:00am of January 20th. My interview was to be at 6:30am. I took a long shower and ironed my clothes thoroughly until they were flat and stiff as a plyboard, you can’t see a crease anywhere. I wasn’t being fastidious, just had too much time to prepare. Then I went to a 24/7 Mac Donald’s for an early breakfast. It was uncharacteristically un-frenzied and un-peopled. I opened the door and heard it for the first time - the new Mac Donald’s jingle Hooray For Today, and it kind of set the mood for the whole day! It played over and over in my mind until I came face to face with the consul. “So why do you want to go to the U.S.A.? I heard him say. I guess I looked funny with the song in my head. I can tell by the way he looked at me when he fired those curt, short questions. My equally short, quick replies seemed to be punctuated by Hooray for today. Hooray for today! “Your visa is approved. Just wait for the courier to hand over to you your passport, ok?, the consul said. “Oh ok.” I blurted out.
I was humming as I walked down the aisle. I felt very light. Then I went straight to the first Mac Donald’s I can find. A pretty usherette greeted me by the door. “Good morning sir.” she said with a smile. “Good morning indeed!” I said. This time the queues were long and the patrons were animated. And the song – it’s still playing. Full lyrics is below:
“Hooray for Mornings
And things that make them good
Hooray for beaming smiles that make my day
Hooray for stops and gos
Hooray for colors and quick hellos
Hooray for surprises that walk my way
Hooray for friends I’ll make
Oh hey…hey!
Hooray for treats that make me smile
Like magic stripes that fill the sky
Hooray for days that make me say
Oh, HOORAY FOR TODAY!”
Hooray for that day indeed! And what a fitting song for such a triumphant day….
