One place after another we glided on through

Danbury, Waterbury, Southington, Chesire, too

Avon, Simsbury, Farmington, Berlin, Unionville ...

New Britain, Wethersfield, Newington, Rocky Hill 



But even the IHOPs about which YOU were sure

Seemed to have become lost to us forever-more

For each and every one of them'd been transformed

And in their places were new Friendly's adorned 



With the familiar grey tile roof, red sides, white letters

Each and every one inferring they were so much better

Than the orange and blue sign we had been looking for

Hinting at the blueberries and crepes they had in store



Then you remembered where there was one in West Hartford

And so we headed directly there both hungry from our tour ...

But it turned out once again to be yet another of the red brick

However, by this time (after a dozen tries) I would have none of it    



So we agreed to skip the brunch then and got on about the move 

Busily shoving boxes and bins around from the old place to the new

Continuously reminding ourselves we were still operating on empty

But keeping so busy the hunger pangs were diminished a-plenty ...



And then, a couple of hours later - after the bulk of it was done ... 

Hubby had eventually appeared, joining us for the next-to-last run 

You decided ... finally - after all - it was time to get some nosh ...

And got no argument from me - for by this time I was bushed ...



We headed on down the road in southerly direction - to Wethersfield  

Knowing full well the only place down that way was one of those sealed

Out of our minds completely through the entire morning's excursion ...

For IHOP had been prime, and neither would deal with intervention



But now it was more than five hours later and it was almost tea time

Not only had we skipped breakfast, but lunch also got lost behind ...

So we agreed on Friendly's ... still insisting on breks in our minds

For it was our first meal of the day - regardless of how late the time



"We no longer do breakfast" - the lady going through the change said

"All you can have is lunch, and that's almost over - time for tea instead"

Which immediately got my back up, for hadn't we intended to do just that?

Roll breks and lunch into one, and perhaps also sups, too (so much less fat)



But you were so ornery ... you wound up dismissing her away from the table

For three times she brought you the wrong thing ... it started then to be a fable

Finally - you got what you wanted ... and it was even served fresh and hot ...

Whilst I busily wiped mouth with a paper napkin, for as you began, I stopped



And then when the change lady offered YOU the "Happy Ending" to apologize

You declined the generous offer, apparently believing you were the more wise

I squirmed in my seat, for you were looking a gift horse straight in the mouth

And, after all we'd both been through ... I'll never understand that kind of clout



- Tristram



(c) Christopher W. Thomas

9:20pm Sunday, Aug. 16th, 1998