FIRST PLACE

Summer called with a special meaning
was given an invite to work
for a man who taught me the guitar,
Monte was in his seventies and always made life a party,
he invited me to join him
selling mini deep fried donuts,
this new food called a beef fritters and strawberry pies
at this stand in a commercial building during this annual fair.

Oh I was so impressed by the big white sign we posted
explaining how beef fritters
were a brand new creation,
even had a first place blue ribbon
on the board we put up for all to see.

Got so excited telling it to customers with such pride
giving them all details about the beef fritters,
which were like a deep fried burrito
filled with beef, cabbage, onions and spices.

We’ll we sold tons of them,
their popularity spread like a virus,
people started lining up to buy them two at a time
while I stood over that frying
cooking them up six at once.

Felt so good to be apart of something so unique,
almost magical in its appeal.
Then one day I asked Monte before we opened,
where the fritter had earned that first place ribbon,
he just winked and said, “heck son, that just stands for
this being the first place they’ve been sold.”

I laughed so hard I cried
had to go in the back when the crowd arrived,
finally recovered and went back to cooking,
but at least once a day when he start in about that ribbon
to some possible customer
how I would have to hide my face
in order to keep from roaring
fighting back those tears of pure humor.