Joan woke up with a shiver. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a pair of contact lenses and a toga. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the foyer was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited fifteen of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend one hour playing fun games like golf and charades. Her mom was planning to make plenty of fried okra and hash for everyone. Joan would try to blow out all four candles on the brilliant orange and jet black cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Joan would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a backpack! She hoped it would be an art deco backpack. Her friend Nestor had said he would give her a tube of toothpaste, and her aunt always gave her cool stuff like the etching she gave her last year. Joan could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a sleet storm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her pair of contact lenses. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the plain. She would have to wear a corset instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her toga.
She proceeded downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like black pepper. Her mom was standing there with a wooden spoon in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a belch.
"Hi Mommy!" Joan replied gingerly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the fried okra," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra egg yolks. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Joan replied warmly. "Do we have the hash ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eight o'clock to start that," her mother replied frantically. "It only has to age for sixty minutes."
"Okay," Joan replied energetically. "I'm gonna go to the foyer."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some burritos 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," Joan responded, as she sat down to her burritos. "Let's hang lots of fuchsia balloons and cover the credenza and the washstand with ivory crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother suspiciously. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Sheila Hopkins. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a spatula."
"Ouch," Joan responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a smirk. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."