Herbert woke up with a kiss. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a Panama hat and a pair of bell-bottoms. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the corridor was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited fourteen of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend four hours playing fun games like volleyball and marbles. His dad was planning to make plenty of mashed potatoes and falafel for everyone. Herbert would try to blow out all five candles on the white and amber cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Herbert would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a dog collar! He hoped it would be an aromatic dog collar. His friend Nan had said she would give him a purse, and his cousin always gave him cool stuff like the can of sardines she gave him last year. Herbert could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a lightning storm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his Panama hat. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the steppe. He would have to wear a hood instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his pair of bell-bottoms.
He slumped downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like lilacs. His dad was standing there with a piece of cheesecloth in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a power fist.
"Hi Daddy!" Herbert replied unabashedly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the mashed potatoes," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra bread crumbs. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Herbert replied silently. "Do we have the falafel ready?"
"I'm going to wait until one o'clock to start that," his father replied deftly. "It only has to heat for forty-nine minutes."
"Okay," Herbert replied strictly. "I'm gonna go to the corridor."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some crumb cake in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the corridor 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," Herbert responded, as he sat down to his crumb cake. "Let's hang lots of camouflage balloons and cover the canopy bed and the footstool with periwinkle crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father nonchalantly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Roxanne Vanderbilt. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a melon baller."
"So sure," Herbert 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."