Smiley woke up with a chortle. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a toupee and a nightgown. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the workshop was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited eighteen of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend five hours playing fun games like marbles and badminton. His mom was planning to make plenty of cabbage and pancakes for everyone. Smiley would try to blow out all five candles on the indigo and emerald green cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Smiley would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a barbell! He hoped it would be a charming barbell. His friend Casey had said he would give him a ruler, and his mom always gave him cool stuff like the spool of thread she gave him last year. Smiley could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a hailstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his toupee. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the peninsula. He would have to wear a bowler hat instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his nightgown.
He skittered downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like freshly baked cookies. His mom was standing there with a candy thermometer in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a chuckle.
"Hi Mommy!" Smiley replied tenderly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the cabbage," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra sweet potatoes. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Smiley replied cautiously. "Do we have the pancakes ready?"
"I'm going to wait until one o'clock to start that," his mother replied woodenly. "It only has to press for eighty-six minutes."
"Okay," Smiley replied primly. "I'm gonna go to the workshop."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some lobster bisque 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," Smiley responded, as he sat down to his lobster bisque. "Let's hang lots of burgundy balloons and cover the pedestal and the card table with salmon crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother bitterly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Deb Keefe. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a basting brush."
"Crud," Smiley responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a grin. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."