{HeShe} dressed quickly in
{hisher} favorite pants,
shirt and sneakers.
{dimen} wanted to
make sure that {heshe}
didn't miss one moment
of fun on {hisher} birthday.
{pg4}

While {heshe} was in the
kitchen {dimen}
decided to look around
for {hisher} birthday cake.
Because there would
certainly be a birthday
cake in the kitchen
today.
{pg8}

{HeShe} looked in the
refrigerator, but found
no cake.
{pg12}

{dimen} felt glum.
"Where is everybody!" {heshe}
shouted walking into the
living room.  {HeShe}
listened for a moment.
No one answered.  "Is it
possible that everyone
could have forgotten my
birthday?" worried
{dimen}.
{pg16}
{dimen} stood on the
front porch and looked
for {aname} and
{bname}'s car.
But it was no where to
be found.  As {heshe} stood
looking around, the
neighbors cat walked up
and sat down beside {himher}.
{dimen} gently stroked the
cat's head and asked,
"Did you know that today
is my birthday?"
{pg20}

The mailman walked up.
"Hello," he said
handing the mail to
{dimen}.
{dimen} set the mail
on the step next to {himher}
and began to dream about
the birthday party {heshe}
had last year.  There
were balloons, and games,
and presents, and lots
of cake and ice cream at
that party.
{pg24}

There was a card inside
and it read, "Come To
The Kitchen."  How odd.
Was this a mystery?  Why
would someone write come
to the kitchen on a card
and send it to
{dimen}?  And
whose kitchen was {heshe}
supposed to go to -- {hisher}
kitchen or somebody
else's kitchen?
{pg28}
{dimen} didn't want to
wait any longer.  {HeShe} ran
into the living room and
dashed toward the
kitchen.  But right
before {heshe} got to the
kitchen door {HeShe} stopped
and listened for a
moment.  No, {heshe} couldn't
hear a sound.  {dimen}
took a deep breath and
walked into the kitchen
with {hisher} eyes closed.
{pg32}

Even the cat from next
door was there.  The cat
walked over to {himher} and
rubbed {hisher} chin against
{dimen}'s legs as if
to say "Happy Birthday
{fullname}!"



       THE  END
{pg36}
{over}
When {heshe} opened them {heshe}
couldn't believe what {heshe}
saw.  Sitting in the
middle of the kitchen
table was the biggest
birthday cake {dimen}
had ever seen.  And
sitting around the table
was everyone {heshe} had
hoped would be there to
celebrate {hisher} birthday.
{aname} and
{bname}, all
of {dimen}'s friends
and relatives.
{pg35}

{HeShe} had just searched in
{hisher} own kitchen for
birthday surprises and
had found nothing.  But
then, maybe this card
had nothing to do with
{hisher} birthday.  Maybe
it had something to do
with some kind of
special mystery that
only {heshe} could figure
out.
{pg31}

"There were also
birthday cards!"
{dimen} shouted
to no one in particular.
{HeShe} started thumbing
through the mail looking
for something addressed
to {fullname}.
There it was, an
envelope with
{dimen}'s name and
address.  {HeShe} opened it
quickly.
{pg27}

The cat rubbed against
{dimen}'s legs and
then trotted off down
the sidewalk.
{pg23}

{HeShe} thought for a moment
and then decided to look
outside for any signs of
Aunts, Uncles, presents,
cake, or a birthday
surprise of any kind.
{pg19}

Next {heshe} tried the
pantry.  All {heshe} could
find in the pantry were
bread, crackers, cans of
soup, beans, beets, and
peas.  {HeShe} did find two
chocolate cupcakes, but
surely more than two
people had been invited
to {hisher} birthday party.
"That is, if there is
going to be a party?"
{heshe} thought.
{pg15}

{HeShe} looked in all of the
cabinets.
{pg11}

"I know," {heshe} thought,
"When I walk into the
kitchen, {aname} and
{bname} will
probably jump up and
yell, "surprise!"
{aname} and
{bname} were
always there for
{dimen}'s birthday.
{dimen} walked into
the kitchen, but no one
was there.  "That's
odd," {heshe} whispered.
{pg7}

It was going to be a
beautiful day for
{fullname}.
"Today is my day!" {heshe}
thought.  Today was
{dimen}'s birthday
and already {heshe} was
thinking about the
wonderful presents {heshe}
was going to receive and
the delicious cake {heshe}
would get to eat.
{pg3}