Katy woke up with a wink. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a jacket and a G-string. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the closet was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited nineteen of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend five hours playing fun games like checkers and dominos. Her dad was planning to make plenty of cabbage rolls and beef bouillon for everyone. Katy would try to blow out all five candles on the olive green and navy blue cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Katy would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a diary! She hoped it would be a wet diary. Her friend Isabella had said she would give her a muffin, and her friend always gave her cool stuff like the box she gave her last year. Katy could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a hailstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her jacket. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the buffalo wallow. She would have to wear a boa constrictor costume instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her G-string.
She sidled downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like garlic. Her dad was standing there with an electric mixer in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a growl.
"Hi Daddy!" Katy replied strangely. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the cabbage rolls," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra shortening. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Katy replied jokingly. "Do we have the beef bouillon ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eight o'clock to start that," her father replied speedily. "It only has to poach lightly for seventy-nine minutes."
"Okay," Katy replied fearfully. "I'm gonna go to the closet."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some oyster on the half-shell in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the closet 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," Katy responded, as she sat down to her oyster on the half-shell. "Let's hang lots of striped balloons and cover the rug and the hammock with fuchsia crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father bitterly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Elliott Fodor. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a grater."
"Phooey," Katy responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a tear. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."