At Lenny's house, the optimistic and energetic monkey went up to his dad, who was reading the newspaper, and said, "Hi, Dad. Do you know what kind of day today is?"

  "Saturday?" His dad responded apathetically.

  "Well, yes," Lenny answered, "but do you know what else it is?"

  "Sunny?"

  "Yes, but it's also my birthday!"

  "Huh. That's nice. Why don't you go tell your mom?"

  "Okie-dokie, Hokey-Pokey," Lenny replied gleefully. He skipped his way upstairs to his mom, who was struggling to keep the younger children under control. Lenny went up and asked her, "Mom, do you need any help?"

  "Sure," she responded, "you can take the kids out for a walk."

  "You bet, Mom!" He happily obliged, "Millie, Nathan, Orlando, come with me!"

  He walked along downstairs, and they obediently followed. Lenny stopped at the closet, pulled out four differently-colored bandannas (the yellow one being larger than the others), and said, "These are for if we get separated."

  He tied the magenta bandanna with a lavender bunny around Millie's neck, the cyan bandanna with a golden yellow star around Nathan's neck, and the purple bandanna with orange zig-zags around Orlando's neck. With that, they headed out. Alice, who was heading to Lenny's house, went up to them and said, "Hi, Lenny."

  "Oh, hi, Alice." Lenny cheerfully greeted his female friend. Orlando looked at Alice and asked his older brother curiously, "Lenny, is she your girlfriend?"

  "What?! She's not!" Lenny shouted in embarrassment. Nathan teased him, "Are you sure she's not your girlfriend?"

  "We're just friends," Alice said to him, "Lenny, where are you taking them?"

  "To Parrot Park," Lenny answered, causing Alice to think, Oh no! That'll ruin the surprise! I've gotta find another way!

  "Why not take them to the White Whale Rivers?" Alice suggested, "I heard that they've got some delicious new fruits."

  "That's actually a pretty good idea," Lenny commented, "Do you want to come with us?"

  "Sure," Alice answered. Phew. That was a close one.