Linda woke up with a tear. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a pair of dungarees and a babushka. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the den was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited thirty of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend six hours playing fun games like treasure hunt and Candy Land. Her dad was planning to make plenty of fried okra and pie a la mode for everyone. Linda would try to blow out all fifteen candles on the rose and azure cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Linda would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a bucket! She hoped it would be a modern bucket. Her friend Ruth had said she would give her a piece of paper, and her main squeeze always gave her cool stuff like the radio she gave her last year. Linda could hardly wait!
She 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. She looked in her closet for her pair of dungarees. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the rainforest. She would have to wear a gorilla suit instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her babushka.
She lumbered downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like road kill. Her dad was standing there with a turkey baster in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a backward glance.
"Hi Daddy!" Linda replied carefully. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the fried okra," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra bacon. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Linda replied truculently. "Do we have the pie a la mode ready?"
"I'm going to wait until six o'clock to start that," her father replied speedily. "It only has to sear for seventy-three minutes."
"Okay," Linda replied bravely. "I'm gonna go to the den."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some beef bouillon in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the den first?" she begged.
"It looks just like it always does," her father replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Linda responded, as she sat down to her beef bouillon. "Let's hang lots of emerald green balloons and cover the buffet and the hope chest with salmon crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father admiringly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Nettie Lamb. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a napkin."
"Yow," Linda responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a curtsey. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."