Grover woke up with a pucker. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a badge and a bikini. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the auditorium was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-nine of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like hopscotch and Monopoly. His dad was planning to make plenty of strawberry shortcake and pumpkin pie for everyone. Grover would try to blow out all twenty candles on the orange and lavender cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Grover would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a watering can! He hoped it would be a spongy watering can. His friend Hallie had said she would give him a paintbrush, and his mother always gave him cool stuff like the bag of groceries she gave him last year. Grover could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a gale was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his badge. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the lagoon. He would have to wear a tie instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his bikini.
He skittered downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like elderberries. His dad was standing there with a wooden spoon in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a pound of the chest.
"Hi Daddy!" Grover replied blindly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the strawberry shortcake," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra chopped pecans. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Grover replied ferociously. "Do we have the pumpkin pie ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eight o'clock to start that," his father replied innocently. "It only has to spread into container for seventy-two minutes."
"Okay," Grover replied sweetly. "I'm gonna go to the auditorium."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some chicken chow mein in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the auditorium 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," Grover responded, as he sat down to his chicken chow mein. "Let's hang lots of brown balloons and cover the wardrobe and the piano with grey crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father defiantly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Gillian Lombardi. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a garlic press."
"Uh-oh," Grover responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a growl. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."