Sanjay woke up with a pucker. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a black belt and a pocket watch. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the boudoir was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited eight of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend four hours playing fun games like roulette and golf. His mom was planning to make plenty of waffles and chicken chow mein for everyone. Sanjay would try to blow out all twenty-three candles on the crimson and pink cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Sanjay would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a pillow! He hoped it would be a filthy pillow. His friend Joe had said he would give him a fishhook, and his fiancée always gave him cool stuff like the bullet she gave him last year. Sanjay could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a rainstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his black belt. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the moonscape. He would have to wear a big grin instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his pocket watch.
He stalked downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like a steakhouse. His mom was standing there with a ladle in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a curtsey.
"Hi Mommy!" Sanjay replied mysteriously. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the waffles," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra pears. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Sanjay replied grandly. "Do we have the chicken chow mein ready?"
"I'm going to wait until four o'clock to start that," his mother replied grudgingly. "It only has to age for sixty-four minutes."
"Okay," Sanjay replied majestically. "I'm gonna go to the boudoir."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some dry toast in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the boudoir 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," Sanjay responded, as he sat down to his dry toast. "Let's hang lots of amber balloons and cover the pool table and the filing cabinet with scarlet crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother numbly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Iris Grigsby. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a slotted spoon."
"Great Jehosaphat," Sanjay responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a hoot. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."