Konstanze woke up with a growl. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a girdle and a gas mask. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the servant's quarters was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited eight of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend seven hours playing fun games like Rummy and golf. Her dad was planning to make plenty of egg rolls and applesauce for everyone. Konstanze would try to blow out all five candles on the aqua and crimson cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Konstanze would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a stack of papers! She hoped it would be a hollow stack of papers. Her friend Jen had said she would give her a clipboard, and her girlfriend always gave her cool stuff like the pencil she gave her last year. Konstanze could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a rainstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her girdle. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the marsh. She would have to wear a bow tie instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her gas mask.
She staggered downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like a feed lot. Her dad was standing there with a fork in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a hiccup.
"Hi Daddy!" Konstanze replied hastily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the egg rolls," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra egg white. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Konstanze replied ingeniously. "Do we have the applesauce ready?"
"I'm going to wait until four o'clock to start that," her father replied furiously. "It only has to sauté for seventy-three minutes."
"Okay," Konstanze replied unabashedly. "I'm gonna go to the servant's quarters."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some bread and butter in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the servant's quarters first?" she begged.
"It looks just like it always does," her father replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Konstanze responded, as she sat down to her bread and butter. "Let's hang lots of burgundy balloons and cover the armoire and the overstuffed chair with striped crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father swiftly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Maria Chu. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a mixing spoon."
"Hold that thought," Konstanze responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a furrowed brow. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."