Nate woke up with a cheer. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a body shirt and a pair of booties. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the tool shed was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend two hours playing fun games like crazy eights and doctor. His dad was planning to make plenty of potatoes and gravy and ramen noodles for everyone. Nate would try to blow out all thirty-four candles on the mauve and rose cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Nate would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a Rubik's cube! He hoped it would be a cotton Rubik's cube. His friend Michelle had said she would give him a paperweight, and his friend always gave him cool stuff like the book she gave him last year. Nate could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a lightning storm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his body shirt. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the lagoon. He would have to wear a pair of Groucho glasses instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his pair of booties.
He dove downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like a sardine cannery. His dad was standing there with a slotted spoon in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a jeer.
"Hi Daddy!" Nate replied stupidly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the potatoes and gravy," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra chopped chives. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Nate replied wildly. "Do we have the ramen noodles ready?"
"I'm going to wait until three o'clock to start that," his father replied wildly. "It only has to boil for eighteen minutes."
"Okay," Nate replied openly. "I'm gonna go to the tool shed."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some hot dogs in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the tool shed 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," Nate responded, as he sat down to his hot dogs. "Let's hang lots of terra cotta balloons and cover the dresser and the footstool with pink crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father lazily. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Kathryn Dole. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a garlic press."
"Loopers," Nate responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with an air kiss. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."