Picking Up the Pieces

It was just before Thnksgiving
In the midst of baking pies,
The oven went berserk as
The heat began to rise.

It was such a strange dilemma,
I couldn't turn it down.
When I took those pumpkin pies out
They were lots more than brown.

Without a trusted oven
And just three burners working,
I handled twenty dinner guests
Without myself berserking.

I acted calm and so serene,
I played the perfect host;
While I kept checking to be sure
That turkey wasn't toast.

The day after Thanksgiving
When all the stores had sales,
The perfect time to buy a stove
Before mine completely fails.

I found the stove I wanted
And bought a hood to match;
And then the glitches started.
There always is a catch.

I paid for two deliveries,
Stove men could not bring hood.
I thought that strange but paid up
As if I understood.

They brought my brand new range in
And left it in the hall.
"Why Ma'am, we just deliver,
Of course we don't install."

Then came the other workman
Who was bringing my new hood.
He was an electrician;
At least that part was good.

He walked into my kitchen,
Then stood and shook his head.
My house was built around the hood,
Not the other way instead.

He started chipping off the tile
And humming cheerfully.
I ran to get a drop cloth
To catch all the debris.

At last he had the hood in
As pretty as could be.
The wall was a disaster,
That part was up to me.

He said he could install the stove
But certainly not today.
He'd let me know. My new range is
Just one hefty fee away.

By: Joyce 12/03/03.