Clio woke up with a flush. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a hair net and a pair of socks. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the lounge was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend two hours playing fun games like baseball and Simon Says. Her mom was planning to make plenty of hot dogs and oyster on the half-shell for everyone. Clio would try to blow out all two candles on the periwinkle and orange cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Clio would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a bedpan! She hoped it would be a smumpy bedpan. Her friend Macon had said he would give her a pair of binoculars, and her aunt always gave her cool stuff like the flute she gave her last year. Clio could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a hot, sunny day was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her hair net. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the crime scene. She would have to wear a kilt instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her pair of socks.
She dove downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like cigarettes. Her mom was standing there with a piece of cheesecloth in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a dope slap.
"Hi Mommy!" Clio replied dubiously. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the hot dogs," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra active dry yeast. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Clio replied peevishly. "Do we have the oyster on the half-shell ready?"
"I'm going to wait until five o'clock to start that," her mother replied courageously. "It only has to spoon into container for fifty-six minutes."
"Okay," Clio replied suavely. "I'm gonna go to the lounge."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some oyster on the half-shell in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the lounge 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," Clio responded, as she sat down to her oyster on the half-shell. "Let's hang lots of yellow balloons and cover the coat rack and the ping-pong table with fuchsia crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother quickly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Velma McDonald. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has an electric paint mixer."
"Crud," Clio responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a gasp. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."