Baldwin woke up with a wrinkled nose. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a gun belt and a bicycle helmet. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the boudoir was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited sixteen of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend two hours playing fun games like Candy Land and volleyball. His mom was planning to make plenty of succotash and ice cream for everyone. Baldwin would try to blow out all twenty-nine candles on the periwinkle and amber cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Baldwin would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a gun! He hoped it would be a golden gun. His friend Steven had said he would give him a piece of paper, and his mother always gave him cool stuff like the fire hose she gave him last year. Baldwin 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 gun belt. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the field. He would have to wear a pair of heels instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his bicycle helmet.
He clambered downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like Band-Aids. His mom was standing there with a dish cloth in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a dope slap.
"Hi Mommy!" Baldwin replied wildly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the succotash," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra spaghetti noodles. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Baldwin replied primly. "Do we have the ice cream ready?"
"I'm going to wait until ten o'clock to start that," his mother replied oddly. "It only has to simmer for fifty-five minutes."
"Okay," Baldwin replied frantically. "I'm gonna go to the boudoir."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some applesauce in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the boudoir 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," Baldwin responded, as he sat down to his applesauce. "Let's hang lots of periwinkle balloons and cover the pool table and the dining table with jade crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother sternly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Elsa Rutherford. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has an electric mixer."
"Shiver me timbers," Baldwin responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a cheer. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."