The Wrong Birthday Cake

Omar works in a small office. On Friday afternoon, his coworker Lina tells him, "Don’t forget the cake. It is for Mr. Park’s birthday." Omar says yes, but he feels nervous because he is new. After work, Omar goes to a bakery near the bus stop. The shop is busy and the air smells sweet. Omar looks at the cakes in the glass. He wants a simple chocolate cake. A cashier asks, "What name do you want on it?" Omar answers quickly, "Park." The cashier writes it down. Omar pays and leaves. On the bus, Omar checks the box. He sees the writing: "Bark." Omar’s face gets hot. He thinks about the next morning and feels embarrassed. He gets off at the next stop and walks back to the bakery. Inside, he shows the cake to the cashier. "I’m sorry," Omar says. "It should be Park, not Bark." The cashier looks surprised, then smiles. "No problem. We can fix it." A baker takes the cake and carefully changes the letters. Omar waits for ten minutes. He watches other customers pick up bread and cookies. Soon the baker returns with the new writing: "Park." Omar feels relief. The next day, everyone claps when Mr. Park opens the box. Lina whispers, "Good job," and Omar smiles.