Drama at the Market

It started out as a quiet afternoon at the Farmers Market. A lovely autumn day, clear sky, no wind.

I arrived about 5 minutes till 5 and said hello to Tom who was today’s market volunteer.

Why aren’t you posting pictures from the Howe Howe? Tom asked me. Just because Dave had beautiful photos, Tom continued, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t post your pictures.

I have been posting pictures, I said. All week. Haven’t you looked at the web site?

Yes, but you should post them all, Tom said.

OK, at this point I realize that Tom means, You haven’t posted the picture of ME yet.

I’ll get on that, Tom, I said.

Then Tom rings the bell – since he’s in charge – he’s the volunteer at the market today. And I would say he rang it a minute early, breaking all the rules, but I didn’t actually look at my watch.

Then a man comes up to me and asks if I write the articles in the paper. Yes, I say. He says recognizes me from the new photo in the paper. Dang. My cover has been blown. I won’t be able get away with anything anymore. But he’s nice and says he reads my columns (yay!) and he likes Kansas a lot, too, he says.

Then I go to talk to Jim Wallace, the buffalo and egg man, so I can buy some hamburger and sausage from him. His meat comes from real animals, buffaloes and elks and goats and cows and stuff. (Well, not really stuff, that’s just an expression. But his meat does come from real animals.)

Anyway, Jim says I have something for you, Cheryl. His wonderful wife, the ever-lovely Marilyn Wallace, has made me some morning glory muffins. Wow! For me! I feel very spaishel! And honored. And yum…

And then, we’re talking and there’s selling going on. Jim has some lemon poppy seed bread and sweet potatoes and jellies that he’s selling to customers. And then Tom (you remember him from before) comes up and he wants to buy some food.

Do you have any eggs left? Tom asks Jim.

And Jim says, just these two dozen that I’m saving for my best friend Rand, who always shows up and always buys eggs because he loves my eggs and sausage and hamburger.

And Tom says, I want those eggs!

And Jim says, What about Rand?

And Tom says, I want those eggs!

And Jim says, Well, I’ve held them for 15 or 20 minutes. I guess Rand isn’t coming even though he always comes to buy my eggs and sausage and hamburger.

Tom buys the last two dozen eggs from Jim.

And then…..

Rand shows up – in his lawyerin’ clothes. And he stands in disbelief. What? No eggs?

He went that-a-way, Jim says.

But Rand isn’t mad. No, because Rand is a very nice guy. And Jim promises Rand that he’ll squeeze the chickens and bring more eggs to town on Saturday.

So, that’s the excitement from today’s farmer’s market. Join us Saturday for another action-packed episode of “Drama at the Market.”