Oliver woke up with a shrug. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a negligee and a necktie. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the garage was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twelve of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend six hours playing fun games like Snakes and Ladders and Snakes and Ladders. His mom was planning to make plenty of crab rangoon and sushi for everyone. Oliver would try to blow out all twenty candles on the striped and tan cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Oliver would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a toothbrush! He hoped it would be a dusty toothbrush. His friend Edmond had said he would give him a bird bath, and his cousin always gave him cool stuff like the pipe she gave him last year. Oliver could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a flood was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his negligee. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the path. He would have to wear a sarong instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his necktie.
He crawled downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like used books. His mom was standing there with a fork in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a caress.
"Hi Mommy!" Oliver replied crazily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the crab rangoon," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra pimientos. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Oliver replied breathlessly. "Do we have the sushi ready?"
"I'm going to wait until six o'clock to start that," his mother replied temperamentally. "It only has to place on serving dish for forty-one minutes."
"Okay," Oliver replied elatedly. "I'm gonna go to the garage."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some lime sherbet in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the garage 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," Oliver responded, as he sat down to his lime sherbet. "Let's hang lots of golden balloons and cover the fainting couch and the computer with chartreuse crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother surreptitiously. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Millie Thor. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has an ice pick."
"Gosh almighty," Oliver responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a pound of the chest. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."