Willard woke up with a coo. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a shawl and a lynx costume. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the billiard room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-two of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like Russian roulette and tennis. His dad was planning to make plenty of hot dogs and chocolate-covered ants for everyone. Willard would try to blow out all thirty candles on the grey and periwinkle cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Willard would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a napkin! He hoped it would be a nice napkin. His friend Reba had said she would give him a coat hanger, and his dad always gave him cool stuff like the pair of pliers she gave him last year. Willard 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 shawl. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the mountainside. He would have to wear a diamond necklace instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his lynx costume.
He tore downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like a candle shop. His dad was standing there with a dish cloth in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a wince.
"Hi Daddy!" Willard replied repeatedly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the hot dogs," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra rum. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Willard replied greedily. "Do we have the chocolate-covered ants ready?"
"I'm going to wait until six o'clock to start that," his father replied timidly. "It only has to steam for four minutes."
"Okay," Willard replied numbly. "I'm gonna go to the billiard room."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some chicken soup in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the billiard room first?" he begged.
"It looks just like it always does," his father replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Willard responded, as he sat down to his chicken soup. "Let's hang lots of terra cotta balloons and cover the footstool and the computer with periwinkle crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father quietly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Merna Duckley. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a meat tenderizer."
"Malarkey," Willard responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a chortle. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."