Plato woke up with a blush. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a fedora and a pair of trousers. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the salon was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited six of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend seven hours playing fun games like tag and chess. His dad was planning to make plenty of cabbage rolls and lobster for everyone. Plato would try to blow out all thirty-five candles on the tan and brilliant orange cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Plato would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain an umbrella! He hoped it would be a valuable umbrella. His friend Michelle had said she would give him a fire hose, and his sister always gave him cool stuff like the chess set she gave him last year. Plato could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a windstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his fedora. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the forest. He would have to wear a stethoscope instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his pair of trousers.
He leapt downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like soap. His dad was standing there with a candy thermometer in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a yawn.
"Hi Daddy!" Plato replied sorrowfully. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the cabbage rolls," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra corn flakes. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Plato replied narrowly. "Do we have the lobster ready?"
"I'm going to wait until five o'clock to start that," his father replied primly. "It only has to melt for seventy-three minutes."
"Okay," Plato replied sourly. "I'm gonna go to the salon."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some dirty rice in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the salon 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," Plato responded, as he sat down to his dirty rice. "Let's hang lots of forest green balloons and cover the dresser and the bath mat with sea green crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father courteously. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Melissa Jacobs. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a whisk."
"Holy smokes," Plato responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a snigger. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."