Jim Bob woke up with a coo. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a pair of combat boots and a gunny sack. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the closet was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited eight of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like poker and Rummy. His dad was planning to make plenty of steak and brownies for everyone. Jim Bob would try to blow out all twenty-four candles on the chocolate brown and mauve cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Jim Bob would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a brochure! He hoped it would be a speckled brochure. His friend Anastasia had said she would give him a potato, and his mommy always gave him cool stuff like the ticket she gave him last year. Jim Bob could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a hurricane was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his pair of combat boots. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the arroyo. He would have to wear a belly button jewel instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his gunny sack.
He climbed downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like June roses. His dad was standing there with a food processor in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a laugh.
"Hi Daddy!" Jim Bob replied ingeniously. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the steak," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra okra. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Jim Bob replied shyly. "Do we have the brownies ready?"
"I'm going to wait until two o'clock to start that," his father replied dubiously. "It only has to place on serving dish for fifty-two minutes."
"Okay," Jim Bob replied again. "I'm gonna go to the closet."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some tortillas in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the closet 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," Jim Bob responded, as he sat down to his tortillas. "Let's hang lots of rose balloons and cover the nightstand and the coat rack with maroon crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father softly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Pippa Sekora. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a food processor."
"Marvelous," Jim Bob responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a coo. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."