Cody woke up with a wrinkled nose. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a pair of safety glasses and a heavy layer of makeup. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the workshop was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-four of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like Rummy and backgammon. His mom was planning to make plenty of succotash and falafel for everyone. Cody would try to blow out all nineteen candles on the tan and metallic red cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Cody would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a book! He hoped it would be a miniature book. His friend Nathaniel had said he would give him an ashtray, and his mother always gave him cool stuff like the box of candy she gave him last year. Cody could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a dust storm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his pair of safety glasses. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the treetop. He would have to wear a pair of Groucho glasses instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his heavy layer of makeup.
He trotted downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like vanilla. His mom was standing there with a knife in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a roar.
"Hi Mommy!" Cody replied miserably. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the succotash," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra oregano. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Cody replied sheepishly. "Do we have the falafel ready?"
"I'm going to wait until five o'clock to start that," his mother replied dolorously. "It only has to heat in microwave for eighty-eight minutes."
"Okay," Cody replied oddly. "I'm gonna go to the workshop."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some cabbage 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 mother replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Cody responded, as he sat down to his cabbage. "Let's hang lots of carrot-orange balloons and cover the four-poster bed and the overstuffed chair with periwinkle crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother sweetly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Tara Moreland. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has an electric paint mixer."
"Yippee," Cody responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a face palm. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."