John Paul woke up with a wrinkled nose. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in an armband and a pair of galoshes. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the game room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited two of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like Clue and Clue. His dad was planning to make plenty of clam chowder and doughnuts for everyone. John Paul would try to blow out all twenty-four candles on the golden and polka dotted cake. While the guests were eating their cake, John Paul would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a garbage can! He hoped it would be an autographed garbage can. His friend Joan had said she would give him a flowerpot, and his mom always gave him cool stuff like the pizza she gave him last year. John Paul could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a drizzle was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his armband. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the park. He would have to wear a robe instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his pair of galoshes.
He capered downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like trouble. His dad was standing there with a melon baller in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a curtsey.
"Hi Daddy!" John Paul replied happily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the clam chowder," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra pretzels. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," John Paul replied dolefully. "Do we have the doughnuts ready?"
"I'm going to wait until nine o'clock to start that," his father replied rapidly. "It only has to spoon into container for eighty-five minutes."
"Okay," John Paul replied despondently. "I'm gonna go to the game room."
"First, young man, 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 game room 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," John Paul responded, as he sat down to his roast turkey. "Let's hang lots of terra cotta balloons and cover the card table and the hatstand with orange crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father gleefully. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Mary Porterfield. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a candy thermometer."
"Alas," John Paul responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a wink. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."