Melvin woke up with a face palm. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a visor and a bow tie. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the family room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-three of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like crazy eights and bridge. His mom was planning to make plenty of oatmeal and enchiladas for everyone. Melvin would try to blow out all twenty-five candles on the metallic red and rose cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Melvin would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a paper bag! He hoped it would be a charming paper bag. His friend Joseph had said he would give him a candy cane, and his mother always gave him cool stuff like the remote control she gave him last year. Melvin could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a rainstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his visor. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the meadow. He would have to wear a raincoat instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his bow tie.
He lurched downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like cotton candy. His mom was standing there with a napkin in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a tear.
"Hi Mommy!" Melvin replied cruelly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the oatmeal," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra basil. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Melvin replied victoriously. "Do we have the enchiladas ready?"
"I'm going to wait until six o'clock to start that," his mother replied accidentally. "It only has to freeze for fifty-four minutes."
"Okay," Melvin replied openly. "I'm gonna go to the family room."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some chicken soup in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the family 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," Melvin responded, as he sat down to his chicken soup. "Let's hang lots of golden balloons and cover the hamper and the footstool with mauve crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother deliberately. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Marya Bender. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a Sham-Wow!."
"Ho hum," Melvin responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a bound. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."