Cinderella woke up with a sneer. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a dog collar and a pair of cycling shorts. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the corridor was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited fourteen of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like treasure hunt and golf. Her mom was planning to make plenty of apple pie and roast beef for everyone. Cinderella would try to blow out all thirty-one candles on the turquoise and forest green cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Cinderella would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a tube of toothpaste! She hoped it would be a fresh tube of toothpaste. Her friend Chuck had said he would give her a can of beans, and her main squeeze always gave her cool stuff like the stick of gum she gave her last year. Cinderella could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a drought was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her dog collar. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the butte. She would have to wear a cape instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her pair of cycling shorts.
She went downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like mountain air. Her mom was standing there with a whisk in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a curtsey.
"Hi Mommy!" Cinderella replied queerly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the apple pie," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra peanut butter. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Cinderella replied blindly. "Do we have the roast beef ready?"
"I'm going to wait until nine o'clock to start that," her mother replied again. "It only has to spread into container for eighty-eight minutes."
"Okay," Cinderella replied brashly. "I'm gonna go to the corridor."
"First, young lady, 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 corridor 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," Cinderella responded, as she sat down to her fish and chips. "Let's hang lots of white balloons and cover the chest of drawers and the overstuffed chair with periwinkle crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother demurely. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Delores Remington. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a mixing spoon."
"Geez Louise," Cinderella responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a laugh. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."