—for Don Boller
Don’s stepdad roused him and the other boys
to milk the cows. Lie in bed too long
the threat of a licking carried up the stairs.
But if he mishandled the milkers,
she’d kick.
Quite a lesson.
In season, he drove the Case tractor to plow and cut hay.
Take care going up the road ‘cause she’s expensive
and there’s no easy fix. Once, he turned her
into a tree, nearly panicked for fear of
losing his ass.
Quite a lesson.
At the Grange Fair, a friend walked up and said,
“Don, go over by the main building.
There’s someone waiting for you.” Lois struck up
a conversation that formed a family and a business
built on love and hard work.
Quite a lesson.
Whether you were mom and dad in your Sunday best
or a trailer park kid running amok on a Saturday searching
for a bathroom, Don Boller’s Dairy Queen always
welcomed you with a handshake or a milkshake.
“Be friendly. They’ll remember.”
Quite a lesson.
©2021 by Peter Buck