Kent woke up with a kiss. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a sari and a beanie. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the billiard room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited seven of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend three hours playing fun games like Monopoly and ring around the rosie. His mom was planning to make plenty of cinnamon toast and sauerkraut for everyone. Kent would try to blow out all twenty-eight candles on the polka dotted and burgundy cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Kent would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a statue! He hoped it would be a sleek statue. His friend Dorian had said he would give him a Helmholz resonator, and his fiancée always gave him cool stuff like the soccer ball she gave him last year. Kent could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a downpour was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his sari. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the seashore. He would have to wear a Superman costume instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his beanie.
He slipped downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like Band-Aids. His mom was standing there with a chopstick in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a simper.
"Hi Mommy!" Kent replied joyously. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the cinnamon toast," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra bread crumbs. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Kent replied sternly. "Do we have the sauerkraut ready?"
"I'm going to wait until two o'clock to start that," his mother replied slyly. "It only has to steam for thirty-six minutes."
"Okay," Kent replied vacantly. "I'm gonna go to the billiard room."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some pancakes 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," Kent responded, as he sat down to his pancakes. "Let's hang lots of salmon balloons and cover the piano and the recliner with peach crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother deliberately. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Audra Prescott. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a spatula."
"Hee haw," Kent responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a grunt. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."