Jude woke up with a wag of the finger. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a jacket and a heavy layer of makeup. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the master bedroom was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited fourteen of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend seven hours playing fun games like checkers and hopscotch. His mom was planning to make plenty of cookies and Swiss cheese for everyone. Jude would try to blow out all six candles on the magenta and maroon cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Jude would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a diary! He hoped it would be a peculiar diary. His friend Buster had said he would give him a baseball, and his mother-in-law always gave him cool stuff like the ruler she gave him last year. Jude could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a hot day was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his jacket. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the arroyo. He would have to wear a burqa instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his heavy layer of makeup.
He marched downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like a swimming pool. His mom was standing there with an electric mixer in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a dope slap.
"Hi Mommy!" Jude replied kindly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the cookies," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra fresh papaya. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Jude replied boisterously. "Do we have the Swiss cheese ready?"
"I'm going to wait until seven o'clock to start that," his mother replied hopelessly. "It only has to broil for eighty-five minutes."
"Okay," Jude replied automatically. "I'm gonna go to the master bedroom."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some lobster bisque in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the master bedroom 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," Jude responded, as he sat down to his lobster bisque. "Let's hang lots of azure balloons and cover the crib and the pool table with fuchsia crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother cautiously. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Phyllis Frankowitz. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a ladle."
"Wild," Jude responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a crow. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."