Cat woke up with a flinch. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a pair of moccasins and a pair of dentures. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the parlor was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-seven of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend five hours playing fun games like jacks and hide and seek. His dad was planning to make plenty of ramen noodles and lasagna for everyone. Cat would try to blow out all thirty-one candles on the amber and camouflage cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Cat would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a calling card! He hoped it would be a wet calling card. His friend Kelley had said she would give him a houseplant, and his dad always gave him cool stuff like the umbrella she gave him last year. Cat could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that an earthquake was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his pair of moccasins. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the savanna. He would have to wear a blouse instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his pair of dentures.
He tramped downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like cloves. His dad was standing there with a pair of chopsticks in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a clenched fist.
"Hi Daddy!" Cat replied dolorously. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the ramen noodles," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra vegetable broth. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Cat replied primly. "Do we have the lasagna ready?"
"I'm going to wait until ten o'clock to start that," his father replied suddenly. "It only has to allow to rise in warm place for several hours for seventy-four minutes."
"Okay," Cat replied gratefully. "I'm gonna go to the parlor."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some chocolate-covered ants in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the parlor 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," Cat responded, as he sat down to his chocolate-covered ants. "Let's hang lots of mauve balloons and cover the cupboard and the futon with striped crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father wildly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Angie Osterman. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a meat thermometer."
"Alright," Cat responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a belch. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."