MARTIN SLOANE | Supermarket Shopper Two readers cash in on annual shopper's poetry competition

It's my great pleasure to introduce two winners in the 23rd annual Supermarket Shopper Poetry Competition. The second-place winner (receiving $75) is first-time participant Dee Tusch, of Fulshear, Texas.
Tusch bases her poem, "What a deal!," on a true experience at her local Kroger supermarket:
What a deal!
Just for a change, I thought I might want
To celebrate Thanksgiving in a restaurant.
But what's this? Upon my word
Spend $50 and get a free bird!
What the heck, may as well look,
A small one wouldn't take long to cook.
The deal was tempting, size didn't matter
The bird was free whether skinny or fatter.
Looking through the turkeys I began to feel greed
Why settle for small simply based on need?
I fancied two that really looked great
But one had no tag, I needed the weight.
Just then a man, competition, appeared
I imagined he looked at my turkeys and leered.
Zounds, I better play it smart
And keep the 18-pounder in my cart.
Then I took the other turkey in its bag
Over to the butcher for a tag.
Only 16 pounds went on the label
So, the other bird would grace our table.
Back to the cart -- and what I had feared
My chosen turkey had disappeared!
Then the man said, "Ma'am, I have to ask it
Did you put this turkey in my basket?"
Tusch said that she and the man both had a good laugh over the experience.
The third-place winner of $50 is Charmaine D. Stevens of Stewartstown, Pa., another first-time competitor:
Labors of Love
Many, many moons ago,
Employed, I cashed my weekly check
Purchasing our "food for two,"
My Ed and I, to shop we'd trek.
No children then, just newlyweds,
The two of us would make a date
To buy our groceries per "the list"
And very seldom were we late.
An extra pack of soda, yes?
Or sometimes cheesecake (just a slice!)
And how about convenience food
Just for tonight -- would that be nice?
My coupons clipped and list in hand,
We shopped so fast the cart got hot.
My brave, tall hubby standing by
To reach the things that I could not.
Totals tallied, goodies bagged,
Arm-in-arm we pushed the load.
My Eddie nobly helping me
To transfer all to our abode.
So often on excursions such,
We'd reminisce of childhoods past.
Of little things that meant so much
So keenly felt, though time flies fast.
Among the common bonds we shared,
Were childhoods full of happy quips.
As toddling by a momma's side
We "helped" her on her shopping trips.
We speculated happily,
On future "helpers" we might have.
And praise the Lord, it came to be
Two sons were born to Ed and me.
No more an evening rush for two,
Our shopping had changed its ways.
For I was now an at-home mom
Like our moms in bygone days.
At three and one-half years apart,
My babies kept me on my toes.
One at my side, one in the cart
How long each shopping trip? Who knows!
Then time, in its own sneaky way,
Performs it's duty inch-by-inch.
Until, at ages five and eight
A shopping trip might be a cinch.
But now, both little helpers read!
The Gooey Fruities are on sale!
"Hurry Mommy, grab a box!"
My little ones would likely wail.
My eldest reaches things for me,
For now he's reaching past my height.
My youngest, skipping wild and free
What happiness, this cherished sight!
I wonder as I watch them grow,
What memories they're making now.
And if, perhaps, someday they'll smile,
Remembering ... And then I vow --
That years from now when they are grown,
I'll put some Gooey Fruities in the cart.
For though I'm shopping all alone
My boys are with me, in my heart.
Charmaine's sons, Joshua and Ethan, are 12 and 8. She says she is firm with the boys about what treat they can select when they shop with her.
Don't miss it in next week's column, as I'll print the first-place winner.
XSend questions and comments to Martin Sloane in care of The Vindicator. The volume of mail precludes individual replies to every letter, but Martin Sloane will respond to letters of general interest in the column.
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