Justin woke up with a sniff. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a G-string and a floppy hat. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the game room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-seven of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend four hours playing fun games like Monopoly and dominos. His dad was planning to make plenty of pie a la mode and pot roast for everyone. Justin would try to blow out all fourteen candles on the fuchsia and teal cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Justin would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain an antenna! He hoped it would be an immense antenna. His friend Joan had said she would give him a bottle, and his grandmother always gave him cool stuff like the stamp she gave him last year. Justin could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a snowstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his G-string. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the stream. He would have to wear an apron instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his floppy hat.
He straggled downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like vinegar. His dad was standing there with a Sham-Wow! in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a crow.
"Hi Daddy!" Justin replied lazily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the pie a la mode," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra mincemeat. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Justin replied despondently. "Do we have the pot roast ready?"
"I'm going to wait until nine o'clock to start that," his father replied perkily. "It only has to toast for seventy-four minutes."
"Okay," Justin replied haughtily. "I'm gonna go to the game room."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some cabbage rolls in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the game room first?" he begged.
"It looks just like it always does," his father replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Justin responded, as he sat down to his cabbage rolls. "Let's hang lots of tan balloons and cover the dishwasher and the hope chest with jet black crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father confidently. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Marya Simmons. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a fork."
"Woohoo," Justin responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a snuffle. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."