I walked into the kitchen where Anna was chopping onions for tonight's dinner.

"You're sure they're all coming?" I asked. 

She wiped away some tears and gave me a disdainful look.

"Of course they are, Silly.  Settle down, you're acting like a kid the night before Christmas."
 
She was right; I've been micromanaging everything she did to prepare for my birthday dinner. She said she had invited four very special guests. We had debated on the menu. I wanted spaghetti, but Anna said the guests would be very comfortable with a backyard barbecue. 
 
So I went outside to get the grill going.  After cracking a Budweiser I wondered who Anna had invited that would have her more excited about my birthday than I was.
 
She carried out a platter with six steaks, a rack of ribs, and a pack of chicken thighs.
 
"Is it my platoon sergeant from Germany?"
 
"Not even close," she said with a conspiratorial smile.
 
I was getting ready to throw a porterhouse on the grill when the doorbell rang.
 
"Merle can you get the door?" Anna called from the kitchen.
 
I shook my head in disbelief.  Here I was cooking my own birthday meal for God knows who and she couldn't even answer the damn door.
 
I strode through the house to the front door. I opened it and couldn't believe what I was seeing: a man about 5'10" dressed head to toe in buckskins. His head was topped with a black hat similar to what the Amish wear. He was holding a crock jug.
 
What is this? Halloween is almost two months away. Did Anna decide on a costume party and not tell me? Or is there a horse costume waiting in the bedroom for me to be the back end?
 
“Howdy! I'm Dan'l Boone. I was invited for vittles with Merle" he said. “I brought a jug of my best homemade sour mash."
 
He handed me the jug as I stood there dumbfounded.  Did Anna really spend money to feed an actor on my birthday?
 
"Come on in and make yourself at home," I said. 
 
Anna came out with a big grin on her face. She knew the frontiersman that had opened Kentucky was one of my heroes growing up. This was cool even if it was reenactor.
 
"Surprise."
 
"Mr. Boone, would you like to go to the patio and could I get you something to drink?"
 
"Just call me Dan'l, ma'am,' I'd take a glass of that," he said, pointing to the jug.
 
As we turned to go to the patio, the doorbell rang again. Upon opening it I observed a tall man dressed in cowboy boots, a sports coat, chinos,  and a 10 gallon Stetson hat. He was holding a half gallon bottle of bourbon. He looked remarkably like John Wayne. 
 
"Howdy Pilgrim, I'm looking for Merle's birthday barbecue.”
 
This was unreal. It wasn't a look-a-like, IT WAS JOHN WAYNE. My favorite cowboy actor of all time was in my house! But before I could say a word Anna swooped in.
 
"Mr. Wayne, the party will be out on the patio. Could I take that?" She asked as she plucked the bourbon out of the Duke's hands.
 
"Thank you very much, Anna."
 
How did the Duke know her name? She arranged this party, dummy, I thought. 
 
Before I could shut the door a dapper, bespectacled man, carrying a bottle of red wine, showed up.
 
"Excelsior, is this the party place? I'm Stan Lee."
 
Great Caesar's Ghost! Anna scored the creator of the Marvel Universe and writer of my favorite comic book when I was a kid, Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos. 
 
"Merle, why don't you join your guests on the patio and start grilling the steaks?"
 
"Anna, I thought you said there were four special guests coming. This is only three."
 
"The last one is running behind schedule. He is a real special guest, I’d like to escort him out to you."
 
She then pushed me and said, "Go mingle with your guests. They'll have to leave at midnight."
 
I had just flipped the steaks and was sharing a glass of moonshine with Boone and the Duke. Stan Lee was sipping a glass of wine, when I heard the doorbell. 
 
"I'll get it," Anna shouted.
 
I had my back to the door as I sipped my moonshine.
 
"Merle, your last guest has arrived."
 
I turned around and almost dropped my shine. This was the icing on my birthday guest. Anna had gone back in history and invited my greatest childhood hero to help me celebrate my 58th birthday.
 
I got up to greet him; he was wearing an ear-to-ear grin and stuck his hand out. I ignored the proffered hand and gave him a great big bear hug.
 
"Hi, Grandpa, I’ve missed you."