The cows and calves were tossed some hay. His brother’s horse was fed. The chicken coop gave up twelve eggs while he thumped the rooster’s head.
The morning chores were finished. He had breakfast with his wife. Three fried eggs and buttered toast, the same breakfast most of his life.
Then to a quiet morning with his cup filled to the brim, he reflected on the little things that meant the most to him.
His tomatoes had escaped their fate from early frost last night. They were underneath a blanket staying red and juicy ripe,
In the distance he could hear a flock of hungry honking geese. Today those moments filled him with a quiet sense of peace.
But his peaceful, tranquil morning was about to turn to dire. Somewhere in the distance a shrieking voice was screaming, fire!
He stood up to attention. Took a whiff to smell some smoke. Then crossed his fingers and his toes and hoped it was a joke.
Then he saw the smoke come rolling from the barn up to the sky. He’d paid his fire insurance and now he knew the reason why.
When the hay barn catches fire and the tractor’s still inside, there ain’t no time to dawdle or your Massey will be fried.
He grabbed an orange bucket, the first one he could find. And he prayed the ditch had water. He was racing, running blind.
He found some water in the ditch and filled his bucket full. Then couldn’t help but notice he’d grabbed a bucket with a hole.
He poured his half-full bucket on the tractor and the fire. Could he invent a better way? He sure weren’t no MacGyver.
By now he had no energy and completely out of breath. The spare tire around his middle might just be his early death.
A good friend told him years ago, “Your gut ain’t no disgrace. It helps you look much younger, pulls the wrinkles from your face.”
A fire truck sped on past him and they promptly doused the blaze. Being out of breath and dizzy he was standing in a haze.
The firemen gave him 02 and they brought him back to worth. He thanked the men and promised that he’d rid his extra girth.
His proud wife baked a chocolate cake. He could eat with every meal. And the devil on his shoulder said, “Go ahead, it’s no big deal.”
— Bryce Angell