“The Doughboy”

by Chick Lang

Hiram’s bakery was filled with its normal mouth-watering aromas, its normal Monday morning hustle and bustle, and its normal schedules, procedures, and recipes. But the day was turning out to be anything but normal.

“Where’s Jim Bob this morning?” Del asked a co-worker.

“He worked the weekend shift,” said the man, strapping on his starched white apron.

“Yeah, he was workin’ all right,” said another worker in passing.

“Zat s’pose to mean somethin’?” asked Del.

“You haven’t heard?”

“Would I have asked?”

The man stopped, walked back to where Del was lacing his shoes.  “Rumor is they caught Jim Bob makin’ love to a batch of fresh pumpernickel.”

Del let the laces slip through his fingers.  “You’re not serious?”

The other man’s face spread into a lascivious grin.  “Serious as sin.  Guess you might say it was loaf at first sight!”