Virginia woke up with a bound. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a hearing aid and a pith helmet. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the workshop was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited eight of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend five hours playing fun games like golf and billiards. Her mom was planning to make plenty of macaroni and cabbage rolls for everyone. Virginia would try to blow out all sixteen candles on the jet black and maroon cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Virginia would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a fountain pen! She hoped it would be a smooth fountain pen. Her friend Maloney had said he would give her a houseplant, and her dad always gave her cool stuff like the sack she gave her last year. Virginia could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a pelting rainstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her hearing aid. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the country meadow. She would have to wear a pair of shoes instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her pith helmet.
She slipped downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like coffee. Her mom was standing there with a pair of chopsticks in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a belch.
"Hi Mommy!" Virginia replied dubiously. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the macaroni," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra lemon juice. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Virginia replied lickety-split. "Do we have the cabbage rolls ready?"
"I'm going to wait until seven o'clock to start that," her mother replied gratefully. "It only has to smoke for fifty-four minutes."
"Okay," Virginia replied menacingly. "I'm gonna go to the workshop."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some roast turkey in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the workshop 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," Virginia responded, as she sat down to her roast turkey. "Let's hang lots of camouflage balloons and cover the card table and the windowsill with jet black crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother violently. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Helga Bobbit. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has an electric paint mixer."
"Harrumph," Virginia 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."