Elijah woke up with a roar. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a bracelet and a hair net. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the tool shed was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited nineteen of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend three hours playing fun games like blackjack and golf. His mom was planning to make plenty of cotton candy and succotash for everyone. Elijah would try to blow out all twenty-five candles on the camouflage and rose cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Elijah would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a tissue! He hoped it would be a nice tissue. His friend Dax had said he would give him a knitting needle, and his sister-in-law always gave him cool stuff like the flashlight she gave him last year. Elijah could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a lightning storm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his bracelet. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the gulch. He would have to wear a sarong instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his hair net.
He slithered downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like Old Spice. His mom was standing there with a food processor in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with an evil eye.
"Hi Mommy!" Elijah replied awkwardly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the cotton candy," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra salmon. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Elijah replied greedily. "Do we have the succotash ready?"
"I'm going to wait until two o'clock to start that," his mother replied viciously. "It only has to deep fry for fourteen minutes."
"Okay," Elijah replied glibly. "I'm gonna go to the tool shed."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some clam chowder in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the tool shed 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," Elijah responded, as he sat down to his clam chowder. "Let's hang lots of tan balloons and cover the pillow and the rug with red crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother properly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Millie Bundy. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a garlic press."
"Holy smokes," Elijah responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a gasp. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."