Harley woke up with a bow. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a big grin and a ribbon. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the workshop was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-eight of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend two hours playing fun games like billiards and volleyball. His dad was planning to make plenty of mulligan stew and steak for everyone. Harley would try to blow out all thirty-one candles on the white and teal cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Harley would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain an iPod! He hoped it would be a primitive iPod. His friend Lindsey had said she would give him a chart, and his grandpa always gave him cool stuff like the hubcap she gave him last year. Harley could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a thunderstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his big grin. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the dump. He would have to wear a pair of boxer shorts instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his ribbon.
He stalked downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like rose petals. His dad was standing there with a turkey baster in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a smirk.
"Hi Daddy!" Harley replied majestically. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the mulligan stew," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra beef broth. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Harley replied languidly. "Do we have the steak ready?"
"I'm going to wait until nine o'clock to start that," his father replied glibly. "It only has to broil for forty-six minutes."
"Okay," Harley replied again. "I'm gonna go to the workshop."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some steak in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the workshop 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," Harley responded, as he sat down to his steak. "Let's hang lots of salmon balloons and cover the pool table and the water bed with emerald green crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father surreptitiously. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Shelly Jacobsen. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a turkey baster."
"Bleep," Harley responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a flush. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."