By Peter Kovarik
When you pick up a lollipop
I picked up the lollipop from a tray.
The tray was on a table in the Barn.
The Barn was in a small town in Connecticut.
It was Sunday morning and “The Barn” was a Unitarian Church.
At the end of social hour, we listened to Chopin’s etudes
and chatted about a Hollywood actor, now the country’s president
“He stole my lollipop!” I heard somebody cry.
I turned and saw a little girl as she pointed her finger at me.
Embarrassed, her mom stood by and shook her head.
Finding no excuse worth pardoning my sin,
I decided to dodge the issue of the candy.
What is your name? I smiled and asked the young lady.
Kimberly! She said with a voice that was both hurt and proud.
Jules Verne’s connection popped into my head.
Like Kimberly Gold Mines in Africa? I inquired.
Friend or foe? Clearly, she was on uncertain ground.
I spent two years on probation, reporting regularly.
The elegant lady I embarrassed in church one Sunday morning
finally agreed to take a chance and marry me.
How lucky a confessed lollypop thief can be?
A note of interest: Over a hundred years ago, another agnostic from the old Europe married a young Unitarian lady in America. Her name was Charlotte Garrigue. His name was Thomas Masaryk, and he later led Czechoslovakia to independence and democracy. He became President Thomas Garrigue Masaryk.
