Over against the wall is a table covered with a long purple cloth. There's a giant bowl of spaghetti (with a smaller bowl of meatballs, for those who want them), and a salad, and a tray of garlic bread.

There's also a large loaf of garlic bread, which has 18 red candles stuck in it and which has "Happy Birthday, Laura" spelled out on top of it in basil and oregano.

And one end of the table has root beer, vanilla ice cream, and fancy soda shop glasses, for the making of floats. (Other sodas and a pitcher of lemonade are off to one side, for people who aren't as fond of root beer floats as the guest of honor is.)

Okay, so it's not the most traditional of birthday party fare. Is that really a surprise?