Moms Prize

It was a cool late November day, as usual, mama loaded us all up, we got on our way

I couldn’t tell you the conversation about any past trips, but that day something happened that I never forget

Of all things, my mom had entered a drawing at a grocery store she called Wayne’s
for a big red shiny bicycle, you could see it gleaming from the store-window pane

The manager Wayne had called my mama the night before on the telephone
He told her she had won the drawings prize just come and take it home

so today when on our way, mama was laying the plan out
for us to ride that glistening red bicycle home 8 miles or just about

there was no room in our car for the prize
As she told us her plan she saw sparkles in our eyes

We would start with Darrell riding, then Sherryl, then. Marilyn
and I could maybe have a turn she said we’d see then

we got to the store and claimed our new ride
beautiful even a little horn attached to the side

So Darrell hopped on and we followed slowly behind
what a spectacle we were as we began to wind

down city streets up to the big south hill
Then journey those country miles to fill

As planned Darrell would ride the first 2 miles past the hill
then Sherryl would jump out and trade with him a spell

then the next would go it would be sister Marilyn
but that didn’t happen Darrell kept peddling

So mama pulled up next to the bikes fender
he kept riding our Prize he wouldn’t surrender

Mama started honking her horn for him to stop and change riders
but he just looked back at us with grit teeth holding handlebars tighter

we must’ve looked a sight, there was Mayhem in the car
My sister Marilyn crying and screaming was the loudest by far

heads and hands were hanging out and screaming for him to stay
But there would be no ride for any of us, as previously planned this day

Brother Darryl peddled that bicycle without stopping
by the time we got home, we were all played out from screaming

mom gave us all some cookies and Cold Milk except for one
what daddy was going to do brother Darrell with that switch would be no fun

we all quietly sat to watch the show, not a peep was heard
but don’t you know he took it like a man without uttering a word

All but one got up and went out to claim our turn
on that shiny glistening red bicycle that mama had won

The Prize Mom had won but regretted and now gladly Wished undone