Benjamin woke up with a flinch. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a pair of galoshes and a corset. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the corridor was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-eight of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like checkers and poker. His mom was planning to make plenty of oyster on the half-shell and oyster on the half-shell for everyone. Benjamin would try to blow out all twenty-seven candles on the terra cotta and rose cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Benjamin would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a thumb drive! He hoped it would be an ancient thumb drive. His friend Bob had said he would give him a candy bar, and his mommy always gave him cool stuff like the vase she gave him last year. Benjamin could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a lightning storm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his pair of galoshes. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the grassland. He would have to wear a girdle instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his corset.
He waded downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like blue cheese. His mom was standing there with a strainer in her hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" she said with a finger gun.
"Hi Mommy!" Benjamin replied unexpectedly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the oyster on the half-shell," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra sage. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Benjamin replied charmingly. "Do we have the oyster on the half-shell ready?"
"I'm going to wait until four o'clock to start that," his mother replied threateningly. "It only has to bake at 450 degrees F for thirty-four minutes."
"Okay," Benjamin replied swiftly. "I'm gonna go to the corridor."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some fried chicken 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," Benjamin responded, as he sat down to his fried chicken. "Let's hang lots of chocolate brown balloons and cover the card table and the bar stool with maroon crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his mother automatically. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Tabitha Bradley. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a potato masher."
"LOL," Benjamin responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a pucker. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."