Triffid woke up with an air kiss. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a pair of false eyelashes and a diaper. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the ballroom was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited six of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend four hours playing fun games like hearts and Cootie. Her mom was planning to make plenty of wienerschnitzel and dry toast for everyone. Triffid would try to blow out all fifteen candles on the purple and striped cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Triffid would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a candy cane! She hoped it would be a dusty candy cane. Her friend Alberto had said he would give her a helmet, and her friend always gave her cool stuff like the tube of toothpaste she gave her last year. Triffid could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a hot day was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her pair of false eyelashes. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the glen. She would have to wear a shirt instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her diaper.
She blundered downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like rubbing alcohol. Her mom was standing there with a ladle in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a cackle.
"Hi Mommy!" Triffid replied flightily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the wienerschnitzel," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra peeled carrots. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Triffid replied pitifully. "Do we have the dry toast ready?"
"I'm going to wait until one o'clock to start that," her mother replied unnaturally. "It only has to refrigerate overnight for six minutes."
"Okay," Triffid replied miserably. "I'm gonna go to the ballroom."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some squash blossom soup in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the ballroom first?" she begged.
"It looks just like it always does," her mother replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Triffid responded, as she sat down to her squash blossom soup. "Let's hang lots of rose balloons and cover the bath mat and the file cabinet with teal crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother cautiously. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Hagit Saramago. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a melon baller."
"Bilge," Triffid responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a squint. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."