Keiko woke up with a kiss. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a necktie and a coat. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the workshop was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-four of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend one hour playing fun games like poker and follow the leader. Her dad was planning to make plenty of fish and chips and scrambled eggs for everyone. Keiko would try to blow out all sixteen candles on the turquoise and khaki cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Keiko would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a Helmholz resonator! She hoped it would be a handy Helmholz resonator. Her friend Ling had said she would give her a chart, and her mommy always gave her cool stuff like the clam she gave her last year. Keiko could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a typhoon was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her necktie. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the battlefield. She would have to wear a name tag instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her coat.
She slumped downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like Yves Saint Laurent. Her dad was standing there with a garlic press in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a giggle.
"Hi Daddy!" Keiko replied blankly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the fish and chips," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra codfish pieces. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Keiko replied stupidly. "Do we have the scrambled eggs ready?"
"I'm going to wait until six o'clock to start that," her father replied hopefully. "It only has to spread into container for fifty-seven minutes."
"Okay," Keiko replied anxiously. "I'm gonna go to the workshop."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some moo goo gai pan in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the workshop first?" she begged.
"It looks just like it always does," her father replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Keiko responded, as she sat down to her moo goo gai pan. "Let's hang lots of violet balloons and cover the ping-pong table and the bar stool with maroon crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father dolefully. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Margaret Fischer. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a melon baller."
"Doubtful," Keiko responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a raised eyebrow. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."