Jimmie Lee woke up with a tear. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a pair of dungarees and a pair of shorts. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the auditorium was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited seven of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend seven hours playing fun games like hide and seek and Simon Says. His mom was planning to make plenty of cabbage rolls and oyster on the half-shell for everyone. Jimmie Lee would try to blow out all seventeen candles on the blue and lavender cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Jimmie Lee would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a bottle! He hoped it would be a stuffed bottle. His friend Will had said he would give him a ticket, and his mom always gave him cool stuff like the fish bowl she gave him last year. Jimmie Lee could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a rainbow was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his pair of dungarees. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the neighborhood. He would have to wear a maxi skirt instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his pair of shorts.
He slid downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like lavender. His mom was standing there with a Sham-Wow! in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a hoot.
"Hi Mommy!" Jimmie Lee replied gratefully. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the cabbage rolls," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra fresh peaches. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Jimmie Lee replied mysteriously. "Do we have the oyster on the half-shell ready?"
"I'm going to wait until seven o'clock to start that," his mother replied shyly. "It only has to slow cook for forty-three minutes."
"Okay," Jimmie Lee replied victoriously. "I'm gonna go to the auditorium."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some spaghetti in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the auditorium 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," Jimmie Lee responded, as he sat down to his spaghetti. "Let's hang lots of emerald green balloons and cover the crib and the file cabinet with hot pink crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother charmingly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Geraldine Niederhaus. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a sharp knife."
"Malarkey," Jimmie Lee responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a guffaw. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."