Freddie woke up with a yawn. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a sombrero and a cloak. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the corridor was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited six of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend three hours playing fun games like cribbage and crazy eights. His mom was planning to make plenty of crab rangoon and clam chowder for everyone. Freddie would try to blow out all thirty-four candles on the teal and sea green cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Freddie would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a toilet seat! He hoped it would be a spongy toilet seat. His friend Vilmer had said he would give him an umbrella, and his sister always gave him cool stuff like the roll of toilet paper she gave him last year. Freddie could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a bit of precipitation was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his sombrero. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the garden. He would have to wear a party hat instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his cloak.
He paraded downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like a campfire. His mom was standing there with an ice pick in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a flinch.
"Hi Mommy!" Freddie replied hopefully. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the crab rangoon," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra beef broth. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Freddie replied ignobly. "Do we have the clam chowder ready?"
"I'm going to wait until five o'clock to start that," his mother replied dolorously. "It only has to sear outside for twenty-eight minutes."
"Okay," Freddie replied victoriously. "I'm gonna go to the corridor."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some falafel 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 mother replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Freddie responded, as he sat down to his falafel. "Let's hang lots of orange balloons and cover the nightstand and the desk with sparkly crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother oddly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Elly Jacobsen. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a basting brush."
"By all the saints," Freddie responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a chortle. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."