Salvage Grain

1

On the way to the feedstore
John sez we oughta be able to get the grain
for two dollars and so when the man bid
two and a quarter I sez that's that
and John moves behind Jan and whispers
bid two thirty and I sez what?
and he winks and I bid and the man bid
two and a half and John calls him a sonofabitch
to Jan and the other man looks at me
to see if I'll bid and I shake me head no
and John he punches me and sez three
and I sez what? and he sez three
and I sez three and the man calls me
a sonofabitch to his wife and the other man sez
what's your name and John sez tell him Homer
and I sez what? and John winks again and I sez
Homer Melvin because that's all I can think
and he tells the secretary to put down Homer
for ten tons and we go home.

2

A month later the man calls John
and sez where's Homer Melvin? and John sez
oh him? he died and the man sez but
he bought all this grain and what am I going to do
and John sez damn he's sorry he don't know
but he'd take it off his hands for two dollars
a hundred and the man sez no and hangs up
but calls John back in an hour and sez
come and get it and John calls me
and I get Jan to write a check for two hundred
for our half and we go to meet John to go
to the feedstore and the man looks at me funny
and sez what's your name and I say Dave
and he sez isatso? and John sez you damn right
he's Dave what'd you think I made him
my partner for? and we load our two dollar
grain in John's and my truck and go home.

 

"Salvage Grain" from Porcine Canticles
©1984 by David Lee,
Reprinted by permission
Copper Canyon Press, P.O. Box 271
Port Townsend, WA 98368 (360/385-4925)