Bradley woke up with a shout. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a set of vampire fangs and a coonskin hat. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the den was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited three of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend seven hours playing fun games like golf and chess. His mom was planning to make plenty of tofu and clam chowder for everyone. Bradley would try to blow out all two candles on the indigo and forest green cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Bradley would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a playing card! He hoped it would be a broken playing card. His friend Harvey had said he would give him a cream puff, and his cousin always gave him cool stuff like the microscope she gave him last year. Bradley could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a driving rain was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his set of vampire fangs. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the gully. He would have to wear a sport coat instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his coonskin hat.
He jogged downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like rotten eggs. His mom was standing there with a pastry blender in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a simper.
"Hi Mommy!" Bradley replied coldly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the tofu," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra yogurt. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Bradley replied jokingly. "Do we have the clam chowder ready?"
"I'm going to wait until nine o'clock to start that," his mother replied demurely. "It only has to toast for eighty-two minutes."
"Okay," Bradley replied viciously. "I'm gonna go to the den."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some applesauce in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the den 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," Bradley responded, as he sat down to his applesauce. "Let's hang lots of grey balloons and cover the piano and the coffee table with mauve crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother impatiently. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Sylvia Holt. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a dish cloth."
"Puppy biscuits," Bradley responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a snort. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."