real, toy, bear, boy. it doesn't matter to ariel one bit, as long as the cake is real.

he loves it whenever someone at kindergarten has a birthday because that meant they would bring a cake to school and there would be singing and candles and cake for everyone. he is able to describe the cake in loving detail when he gets home, but when asked for the name of the birthday boy, he shrugs and says, "i don't know."

(sometimes singlish puts it all much more succintly: "wah lau, like that one, eat cake only don't care whose one.")

ariel: we had birthday cake in school today.
aunt: *drily* another "don't know" i suppose?
ariel: yes.

ah well. at least he's frank about it.