Excerpt 2 from STATE FAIR by Phil Stong

Along the wall of Melissa Frake's kitchen at home was a long row of yellow and red ribbons which she had won for angel's food, devil's food and layer cake; cherry preserves made by the old Stidger recipe which had come down in the family for generations uncounted; for chicken dressing; for raised bread; for doughnuts. There were two blue ribbons--one for candied cherries and one for a mincemeat to which Mrs. Frake had surreptitiously added some sherry wine the doctor had once prescribed as a tonic for Margy.

The little bit that was left over, it seemed a shame to waste. The judges awarded Mrs. Frake's mincemeat a blue ribbon with a promptness and unanimity which had shocked her. Although she felt a very small twinge of conscience when she saw this blue ribbon, she felt a slight moral indignation against judges whose souls would not warn them of irreligious matters in mincemeat.


State Fair, by Phil Stong

Come see the University of Iowa Press at the State Fair this year on opening day, August 8, from 3:00pm - 9:00pm!