Brent woke up with a power fist. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a pair of bloomers and a belly button jewel. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the dining room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited fourteen of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend two hours playing fun games like baseball and tag. His dad was planning to make plenty of lime sherbet and fish and chips for everyone. Brent would try to blow out all thirty-one candles on the maroon and white cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Brent would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a clipboard! He hoped it would be a leather clipboard. His friend Irma had said she would give him an ice cream cone, and his fiancée always gave him cool stuff like the suitcase she gave him last year. Brent could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a snowstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his pair of bloomers. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the tundra. He would have to wear a T-shirt instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his belly button jewel.
He rushed downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like fish. His dad was standing there with a turkey baster in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a flutter.
"Hi Daddy!" Brent replied flightily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the lime sherbet," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra ham. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Brent replied brashly. "Do we have the fish and chips ready?"
"I'm going to wait until six o'clock to start that," his father replied quickly. "It only has to age for sixty-nine minutes."
"Okay," Brent replied gingerly. "I'm gonna go to the dining room."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some chopped liver in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the dining 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," Brent responded, as he sat down to his chopped liver. "Let's hang lots of golden balloons and cover the hamper and the bathtub with turquoise crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father sleepily. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Ashley Ratha. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a potato peeler."
"Land's sakes," Brent responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a pout. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."