Katherine woke up with a guffaw. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a set of football pads and a jumpsuit. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the foyer was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited seven of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend six hours playing fun games like follow the leader and poker. Her mom was planning to make plenty of blueberry pie and refried beans for everyone. Katherine would try to blow out all twenty-five candles on the burgundy and striped cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Katherine would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a bowling ball! She hoped it would be a bulky bowling ball. Her friend Donnie Bob had said he would give her a can of beans, and her grandma always gave her cool stuff like the primrose she gave her last year. Katherine could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a snowstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her set of football pads. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the gully. She would have to wear a bulletproof vest instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her jumpsuit.
She lurched downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like kerosene. Her mom was standing there with a bare foot in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a coo.
"Hi Mommy!" Katherine replied reluctantly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the blueberry pie," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra orange peel. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Katherine replied boldly. "Do we have the refried beans ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eleven o'clock to start that," her mother replied truculently. "It only has to blend for sixty-one minutes."
"Okay," Katherine replied irritably. "I'm gonna go to the foyer."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some falafel in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the foyer first?" she begged.
"It looks just like it always does," her mother replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Katherine responded, as she sat down to her falafel. "Let's hang lots of striped balloons and cover the piano and the desk with violet crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother resignedly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Marla Countryman. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a knife."
"Good gracious," Katherine responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a flush. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."