Geoffrey woke up with a frown. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a false beard and a coat. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the billiard room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-six of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend one hour playing fun games like checkers and musical chairs. His mom was planning to make plenty of catfish stew and chocolate-covered ants for everyone. Geoffrey would try to blow out all nineteen candles on the striped and golden cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Geoffrey would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a fingernail clipper! He hoped it would be a crude fingernail clipper. His friend Abraham had said he would give him a Helmholz resonator, and his cousin always gave him cool stuff like the peanut she gave him last year. Geoffrey could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a blizzard was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his false beard. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the plain. He would have to wear a tinfoil hat instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his coat.
He sneaked downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like beer. His mom was standing there with a dull knife in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a roar.
"Hi Mommy!" Geoffrey replied crankily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the catfish stew," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra mussels. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Geoffrey replied crossly. "Do we have the chocolate-covered ants ready?"
"I'm going to wait until nine o'clock to start that," his mother replied accidentally. "It only has to mix rapidly for five minutes."
"Okay," Geoffrey replied charmingly. "I'm gonna go to the billiard room."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some fish and chips in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the billiard room 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," Geoffrey responded, as he sat down to his fish and chips. "Let's hang lots of orange balloons and cover the four-poster bed and the ottoman with grey crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother miserably. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Hazel Knotts. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a pair of tongs."
"Yuck," Geoffrey responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a snigger. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."