THE DESIGNATED "BEAN SORTER"

I was designated as

     "The official bean sorter,"

and my mind went back over

      the decades

A thousand times on cold 

      winter nights I have watched 

my dear mother sort 

       pintos---

(farm folks  called them 

        "red beans...") and

nine hundred times I have asked

       her: "Why do you discard

half beans?"

She said: "My mama always did."

I told Bobby Joe 'bout this, and

      he said: "Exact same thing

happened to me at my house...

     when I was a little kid!"

Now then, the years have passed

      and we little kids 

are all "growed..." and

      I myself have been given 

the honor of being---for 

      our household: "The

Designated Bean Sorter!"

      on cold winter nights...

But...

It is a new day

      and times are hard

so I keep the half beans---

      no disrespect intended

and

      I have hardly ever 

found a rock, but

There have been a few 

    "Ouch, Ouch...."

-------------

MIL

2/08/18