Holiday Observances:
June 11 is Corn on the Cob Day
June 2016
L * A * N * C * E * R
The small village was a hub of activity; it was the harvest season and for the farmers it had been a very good year. So good in fact that the farmers decided to share some of the bounty with the villagers.
The men had set up iron grills over several fires, while the women busied themselves setting up tables and chairs. Each villager contributed what food they had to increase the bounty. Meanwhile the children played nearby in hopes of sneaking a treat. There was much laughter in the poverty-stricken village that day.
Not so for the young boy hiding in a tree, avidly watching the man who was turning the husks of corn. He could smell the enticing aromas and looked around to make sure no one had heard his stomach growl. To make sure he was out of sight he scooted closer to the tree’s trunk. If anyone saw him he knew he would be driven away. Johnny and his mother were not invited and never would be since he was a mestizo and she was…
From his hiding spot Johnny watched the villagers and farmers celebrate. He rubbed his empty stomach when it gurgled again. Please, he hoped let there be some scrapes leftover. Hunger over-ruled pride and he would scrounge through the garbage left behind.
Finally the celebration was over; he looked around but no one was on the street. He climbed down and snuck to alley by the cantina where the leftovers had been tossed. He rummaged through the corn husks and almost shouted with joy when he discovered a half eaten corn on the cob. Licking his lips he savored every bite. Next he found a small piece of a tamale, then another cob with a couple bites of corn, and even a piece of fat with a tiny sliver of meat attached to it. Still hungry, he gobbled it down while continuing his search.
A growl startled him from his feast and out of the corner of his eye he saw the cantina owner bearing down on him. He jumped up ready to run for it when the big man grabbed him…
L * A * N * C * E * R
“Johnny… Johnny wake up.” Teresa shook his shoulder. “The corn is ready.”
He jumped up and ran toward his father, “Thanks Murdoch.” Johnny eagerly grabbed the ear of corn from his father’s hand and striped off the husk. In absolute ecstasy he bit into a little piece of heaven. “Boy, do I love corn on the cob.”
The End