Jim Bob woke up with a frown. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a surgical mask and a pair of flip-flops. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the kitchen was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-nine of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend five hours playing fun games like crazy eights and Rummy. His dad was planning to make plenty of dirty rice and cornbread for everyone. Jim Bob would try to blow out all twelve candles on the lavender and sparkly cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Jim Bob would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a stuffed kitten! He hoped it would be an aromatic stuffed kitten. His friend Edna had said she would give him a bilge pump, and his grandfather always gave him cool stuff like the paper airplane she gave him last year. Jim Bob could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a sleet storm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his surgical mask. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the valley. He would have to wear a Stetson hat instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his pair of flip-flops.
He slithered downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like pizza. His dad was standing there with a foot in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a growl.
"Hi Daddy!" Jim Bob replied swiftly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the dirty rice," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra lime juice. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Jim Bob replied sternly. "Do we have the cornbread ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eleven o'clock to start that," his father replied suddenly. "It only has to simmer for seventy-eight minutes."
"Okay," Jim Bob replied accidentally. "I'm gonna go to the kitchen."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some chicken gumbo in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the kitchen 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," Jim Bob responded, as he sat down to his chicken gumbo. "Let's hang lots of striped balloons and cover the dishwasher and the settee with maroon crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father jokingly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Brenda Sullivan. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a food processor."
"Holy minerva," Jim Bob responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a sniffle. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."