Page 124 of Break My Heart
‘What am I looking at?’
She points to a sign in front of the church. ‘A pie-eating contest! It starts in ten minutes!’ She turns to me and grabs my arm. ‘Let’s do it!’
‘Now? We’ll be covered in pie.’
‘I’m sure they have bibs or something to cover our clothes.’
‘Didn’t you tell me a few months ago that we’re too old for this?’
‘Maybe, but I changed my mind. C’mon!’ She gets that competitive look on her face. ‘We haven’t competed in forever.’
‘Because it always leads to us fighting.’
‘But now we’re dating and the fighting will lead to us making up.’ She gives me her flirty smile.
‘Okay, fine,’ I say with a sigh. ‘But when you walk out of there with your face covered in pie, remember that you’re the one who suggested this.’
We go in the church and are greeted by Mabel Andover, an old lady who worked at the library when I was growing up. She was old back then. She must be close to 90 now.
‘Hey, Mrs. Andover,’ I say to her. ‘We’re here for the pie-eating contest.’
‘Down the hall and to your left.’ She winks at me. ‘You get more handsome every time I see you.’
‘Thanks,’ I say with a laugh. ‘This is my girlfriend, Gina.’
Mabel smiles at her. ‘You were at the craft fair with Martha.’
‘Yeah, that’s right,’ Gina says, smiling back. ‘I helped her set up the desserts.’
‘We should hurry up,’ I say to Gina. ‘It’s starting soon.’
We go down to a room that has about 30 people lined up at tables with pies in front of them. They’re miniature pies and all appear to be pumpkin.
‘Will you be joining us?’ a lady asks, walking up to Gina and me.
‘Yes, we’re entering the contest,’ Gina says.
‘Wonderful!’ The lady smiles. ‘I’m Eleanor. Have a seat. We’ll be starting in a few minutes. Oh, and it’s free, but we’d love a donation. The money will go to the food pantry here at the church.’
‘I got it,’ I tell Gina as I take a twenty from my wallet and drop it in the donation box.
We take two open seats at the end of a long table.
‘Hope you’re hungry,’ I whisper to Gina.
‘Hungry or not, I’m beating you.’
‘Yeah, okay.’ I chuckle, looking at her tiny body and flat stomach. There’s no way she could fit more than two pies in there. I could easily eat six or seven, maybe more.
Eleanor stands in front of the tables with a timer in her hand. ‘We’ll begin shortly. Now remember, you must completely finish onepie before starting another. Only clean pie tins will be counted as pies eaten. Any questions?’
‘What do we get if we win?’ the teenage boy next to Gina asks.
‘Haydon Falls Pizza has generously donated a $50 gift card to the first place winner,’ Eleanor says. ‘And Emmy’s Bakery has donated a $25 dollar gift card to the second place winner. The third place winner will receive a free bouquet of flowers from Haydon Falls Florist. Now, if that’s it for questions, we’ll get started.’ She waits a moment, then starts her timer. ‘You may begin.’
Gina and I grab the large serving spoons in front of us and start shoveling pie in our mouths. The teenage kid beside Gina is using his hands, putting half the pie in his mouth at once. If he keeps that up, he’s going to win. Even I can’t eat that fast.
‘This is harder than I remember,’ Gina says, or I think that’s what she said. It’s hard to tell with her mouth full of pie.
