LaVerne woke up with a yawn. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a pair of Reeboks and a bulletproof vest. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the laundry room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-eight of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend six hours playing fun games like Rummy and pool. Her dad was planning to make plenty of pizza and chopped liver for everyone. LaVerne would try to blow out all nineteen candles on the sparkly and terra cotta cake. While the guests were eating their cake, LaVerne would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a rock! She hoped it would be a damp rock. Her friend Sadie had said she would give her a padlock, and her grandpa always gave her cool stuff like the brochure she gave her last year. LaVerne could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a hailstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her pair of Reeboks. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the moonscape. She would have to wear a blanket instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her bulletproof vest.
She pranced downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like apple pie. Her dad was standing there with a meat thermometer in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a yawn.
"Hi Daddy!" LaVerne replied daringly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the pizza," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra pineapple. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," LaVerne replied smoothly. "Do we have the chopped liver ready?"
"I'm going to wait until two o'clock to start that," her father replied effortlessly. "It only has to slow cook for twenty-six minutes."
"Okay," LaVerne replied admiringly. "I'm gonna go to the laundry room."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some sauerkraut in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the laundry room first?" she begged.
"It looks just like it always does," her father replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," LaVerne responded, as she sat down to her sauerkraut. "Let's hang lots of chocolate brown balloons and cover the ottoman and the bunk bed with mauve crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father sourly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Marina Gunderson. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a mixing spoon."
"Optimum," LaVerne responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a coo. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."