Jack woke up with a chortle. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a tie and a vest. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the corridor was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited thirteen of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend one hour playing fun games like chess and Rummy. His dad was planning to make plenty of hamburgers and cabbage for everyone. Jack would try to blow out all twenty-six candles on the polka dotted and beige cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Jack would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a basketball! He hoped it would be a bulky basketball. His friend Magdalena had said she would give him a carrot, and his main squeeze always gave him cool stuff like the crystal ball she gave him last year. Jack 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 tie. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the seashore. He would have to wear a diamond bracelet instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his vest.
He dashed downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like car exhaust. His dad was standing there with a wooden spoon in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a belly laugh.
"Hi Daddy!" Jack replied sweetly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the hamburgers," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra prime rib. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Jack replied merrily. "Do we have the cabbage ready?"
"I'm going to wait until seven o'clock to start that," his father replied busily. "It only has to braise for nine minutes."
"Okay," Jack replied patiently. "I'm gonna go to the corridor."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some ice cream 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," Jack responded, as he sat down to his ice cream. "Let's hang lots of khaki balloons and cover the wine rack and the stairway with camouflage crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father recklessly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Hattie Oglesby. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has an ice pick."
"Doggone," Jack responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with an evil eye. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."