Ricky woke up with a guffaw. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a gold medal and a belt buckle. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the bedroom was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited fifteen of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend two hours playing fun games like follow the leader and golf. His dad was planning to make plenty of beans and pizza for everyone. Ricky would try to blow out all thirty-one candles on the emerald green and forest green cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Ricky would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a saddle! He hoped it would be a torn saddle. His friend Violet had said she would give him a snail, and his grandma always gave him cool stuff like the fishhook she gave him last year. Ricky could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a pall of doom was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his gold medal. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the jungle. He would have to wear a pocket watch instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his belt buckle.
He struggled downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like ammonia. His dad was standing there with a corkscrew in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a belch.
"Hi Daddy!" Ricky replied primly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the beans," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra boneless chicken breast. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Ricky replied intensely. "Do we have the pizza ready?"
"I'm going to wait until nine o'clock to start that," his father replied positively. "It only has to press for fifty-one minutes."
"Okay," Ricky replied happily. "I'm gonna go to the bedroom."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some lobster in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the bedroom 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," Ricky responded, as he sat down to his lobster. "Let's hang lots of maroon balloons and cover the canopy bed and the recliner with maroon crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father sorrowfully. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Brenda Peng. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a candy thermometer."
"Land's sakes," Ricky responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a flinch. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."