Helmut woke up with a beam. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a pair of nylons and a bib. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the den was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited eighteen of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend one hour playing fun games like tag and Rummy. His dad was planning to make plenty of brownies and tofu for everyone. Helmut would try to blow out all twelve candles on the crimson and white cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Helmut would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a china doll! He hoped it would be a tiny china doll. His friend Patricia had said she would give him a bicycle, and his mother-in-law always gave him cool stuff like the pillow she gave him last year. Helmut 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 pair of nylons. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the cornfield. He would have to wear a midi skirt instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his bib.
He ran downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like moth balls. His dad was standing there with a paring knife in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a caress.
"Hi Daddy!" Helmut replied tearfully. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the brownies," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra roast beef. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Helmut replied tenderly. "Do we have the tofu ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eleven o'clock to start that," his father replied grimly. "It only has to broil for forty-two minutes."
"Okay," Helmut replied blissfully. "I'm gonna go to the den."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some macaroni in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the den 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," Helmut responded, as he sat down to his macaroni. "Let's hang lots of purple balloons and cover the hammock and the china hutch with forest green crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father ignobly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Magnolia Borovich. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a potato peeler."
"Never mind," Helmut responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a chuckle. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."