Marvin woke up with a sniffle. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a toupee and a blouse. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the salon was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited seventeen of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend one hour playing fun games like hide and seek and jacks. His mom was planning to make plenty of fish and chips and mushroom quiche for everyone. Marvin would try to blow out all thirteen candles on the rose and crimson cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Marvin would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a banana! He hoped it would be a ruined banana. His friend Doc had said he would give him a playing card, and his mentor always gave him cool stuff like the peace pipe she gave him last year. Marvin could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a sleet storm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his toupee. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the bog. He would have to wear a dog collar instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his blouse.
He crawled downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like a bakery. His mom was standing there with a dull knife in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a twitch.
"Hi Mommy!" Marvin replied joyously. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the fish and chips," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra oregano. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Marvin replied zestily. "Do we have the mushroom quiche ready?"
"I'm going to wait until ten o'clock to start that," his mother replied ignobly. "It only has to steam for forty-seven minutes."
"Okay," Marvin replied ferociously. "I'm gonna go to the salon."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some burritos in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the salon first?" he begged.
"It looks just like it always does," his mother replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Marvin responded, as he sat down to his burritos. "Let's hang lots of grey balloons and cover the ping-pong table and the ping-pong table with chartreuse crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother curiously. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Henrietta McGrath. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a foot."
"Poppycock," Marvin responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a curtsey. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."