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Here's the deal, folks...
This is, as indicated, the 2nd HALF of this fairly lengthy poem. Due to Poetry Soup's file-size limitations, this piece, like several of my story-pieces, had to be posted in 2 parts.
The 1st HALF can be accessed, of course, by going to - "Poems by Mark Stellinga" - on the Soup. Sorry for the inconvenience...
Thanks for reading it, (or listening - :)
Mark
“Their children’s meals include free toys, and when the weather’s poor,
Folks can simply walk inside and find themselves a seat.
And they’ve got blacktop parking lots…or paved ones…we’ve got gravel.
It’s common knowledge - little shops like ours cannot compete.
“Like I said, it’s really sad to see a place like this
Close its doors, but, sure enough…come Friday night…we must.
What’s more,” she stammered weakly, as her eyes were welling up,
“Once again, next April - once the Bellvue Bank and Trust
“Advertises widely - this old place will disappear!
Folks from miles around will come to watch with bated breath
As what is Jasper County’s last, and oldest, dairy queen -
Sells at auction…like the others…fast-food-chained to death!”
I walked away with tear-dimmed eyes. My mind was racing fast.
I sat down at a picnic table, took my cell phone out,
Called my wife and told her that, when I got home that night,
There was something pretty wild we’d need to talk about.
I sat there deep in thought for what I’d say was half an hour,
Then fin’ly trotted up and asked the lady for a Coke.
“Sounds to me like all you need to do is spend some dough
To make this place competitive…unless, of course, you’re broke?”
“We’d have done that long ago,” she said, “but, see, the bank
Wants this land to build a mall, and will not make a loan.”
“I see,” I calmly countered, “so…your profit margin’s suffering?
Maybe I can help with that…I’ll take a chocolate cone.”
“That’s correct,” she added “And we’ve asked the bank for help
To add a large addition - so our guests could eat inside -
And paint the things that need it…fix the sign…and pave the lot,
But all they’ve said is, ‘You’re not worth it,’ every time we’ve tried!”
What the lady’d told me had me fuming. I was moved.
Learning what their bank was up to had me really miffed.
“Dear,” I told her, “what you’re business needs is not a loan…
but something guys like me can give……a philanthropic gift!”
“What you need’s a benefactor. Someone they don’t know
Backing you, for everything…and I am just the guy.
I’ve got tons of money, hon - and love ‘old’ dairy queens.”
Then reaching in to take her hand, I looked her in the eye,
“I’ll provide the needed funds for making your improvements,
So you can take that closing sign and toss it in the trash.
The place will still be yours alone…there’ll be no strings attached…
I’m just going to help you stay in business - with some cash!
Staying ‘til she closed that night, I waited in the office.
Then, after all the doors were locked and outside lights were dark,
Me and Mrs. Shimmel sat and penciled out some changes.
The first was trading three dead trees for five more spots to park.
We drew up plans for adding on a good-sized room out back
That seated close to forty, where her customers could dine
When weather wasn’t all that nice. And I, of course, proposed
Running ads with ‘specials’…and a slightly larger sign.
See, advertising’s what I do. My line of work for years.
Together, me and Helen made the plans that I was sure
Would turn around her business at no cost at all to her -
And guarantee The Whippy-Dip would thrive, and thus - endure.
The days of barely making it -- or actually losing money --
Very quickly ended -- and the bank would have to find
Someone else to turn their backs on…some place else to build…
And not tear down that lovely place for what they had in mind.
Well…that was thirty years ago. And once or twice each summer,
Me and Connie pack the car and take our little trip
To visit Mrs. Shimmel, and her son - who runs the place -
And savor tender mem’ries.....at that busy Whippy-Dip.
PS: I've now got 4 new Audio-CDs - @ 4 1/2 hours each = (62 diversely varied pieces). They’re listed on EBAY - under - “Mark Stellinga Poetry” - or available by simply contacting me at -- mark@writerofbooks.com -- should those of you who enjoy listening to poems as well as reading them - and particularly those of you that travel - care to be so entertained. (We use safe and simple - PayPal) There are a bunch of my pieces on YouTube as well ---
Cheers,
Mark
Copyright © Mark Stellinga | Year Posted 2021