Julian woke up with a bow. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a tunic and a bolo tie. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the cage was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited seventeen of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend two hours playing fun games like Rummy and poker. His dad was planning to make plenty of potatoes and gravy and cabbage for everyone. Julian would try to blow out all eighteen candles on the emerald green and yellow cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Julian would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a thumb drive! He hoped it would be a slimy thumb drive. His friend June had said she would give him a toy, and his grandma always gave him cool stuff like the bottle she gave him last year. Julian could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a flood was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his tunic. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the dumpster. He would have to wear a bow tie instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his bolo tie.
He leapt downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like potpourri. His dad was standing there with a potato peeler in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a chuckle.
"Hi Daddy!" Julian replied caustically. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the potatoes and gravy," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra chili powder. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Julian replied later. "Do we have the cabbage ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eight o'clock to start that," his father replied cruelly. "It only has to heat for seventy-eight minutes."
"Okay," Julian replied suddenly. "I'm gonna go to the cage."
"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 cage 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," Julian responded, as he sat down to his chicken gumbo. "Let's hang lots of striped balloons and cover the futon and the bench with lime-green crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father daintily. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Kami Jordan. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a whisk."
"Jumpin’ Jehosaphat," Julian responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a simper. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."