Jesse woke up with a gurgle. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a diamond bracelet and a pith helmet. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the boiler room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited three of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend two hours playing fun games like tennis and Snakes and Ladders. His mom was planning to make plenty of cookies and banana split for everyone. Jesse would try to blow out all thirty candles on the golden and camouflage cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Jesse would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a rattlesnake! He hoped it would be an ornate rattlesnake. His friend Max had said he would give him a peanut, and his sister-in-law always gave him cool stuff like the battery she gave him last year. Jesse could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a driving rain was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his diamond bracelet. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the pasture. He would have to wear a bulletproof vest instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his pith helmet.
He swung downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like a rose garden. His mom was standing there with a potato masher in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a kiss.
"Hi Mommy!" Jesse replied dubiously. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the cookies," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra lemon zest. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Jesse replied obediently. "Do we have the banana split ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eight o'clock to start that," his mother replied daintily. "It only has to roast for fourteen minutes."
"Okay," Jesse replied arrogantly. "I'm gonna go to the boiler room."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some hash in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the boiler room 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," Jesse responded, as he sat down to his hash. "Let's hang lots of pea green balloons and cover the card table and the dining table with salmon crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother smoothly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Connie Koch. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a fork."
"Bleep," Jesse responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a giggle. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."