"A few rules of this year's 'Texas Annual Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest' have changed," announced Mayor Taylor. "This year the prizes are baked within some of the pies! Yes, I said WITHIN some of the pies! There are a few gem stones wrapped in aluminum foil. There are 2"x 3" gift certificates valued at $5, $10 and $20 also wrapped in foil and donated by local merchants. Then we have 1 diamond ring in one of the pies!! The gems stones and the ring were donated by Miller's Fine Jewelry Store! We thank you all for the very generous donations!!
The crowd sucked in air about the same time when the diamond ring was mentioned. Excited chatter broke out.
"Hold up now," said the mayor. "There is one more bit of information on what's baked in the pies. In one of the pies there is an extra ingredient. Now, don't worry. It is an edible ingredient! The contestant will know it's the one when he or she bites into it." The mayor chuckled.
"So, those are the new additions to the contest. As in past years, you must finish one pie before going onto the next one. You have 30 minutes to eat as much pie as you can and gather as many prizes as you can. There is a glass jar in front of each of the contestants to put your prizes in while you continue the contest. Everyone has a bottle of water of you need it. Well, I think that is about it," concluded the mayor. "Any questions?"
"What a minute, Mayor," Jed, contestant #8 said as he stood up. "This pie with the extra ingredient, what is the prize for that one?"
Again the mayor chuckled. "Well, son, we are keeping that a secret for now. In MY opinion, it is the best prize of all!"
The mayor winked at Jed and smiled at the rest of the contestants seated in the long row of tables.
"Okay, you have 30 minutes. The mayor looked at his stop watch. The times starts NOW!"
All 18 contestants ran to the tables with the pumpkin pies to grab a pie. Then they hurried back to their assigned places, pie in hand and began chowing down. Within minutes there were a few prizes found. Contestant #12 squealed with delight as she unwrapped the foil to find a $20 gift certificate. As she dropped it into her jar the crowd cheered.
A little later, Jed, contestant # 8, hollered as he bit down on something hard. He took it out of his mouth to see a sparkling ring. Just then he looked up to see Jane, a lady he had recently started dating, walking his way.
"Oh crap," he exclaimed.
Sitting next to Jed was Brad, contestant #9. Brad started to laugh. "You'd better hide it because she is going to think it's hers!" He laughed loudly again. "Here comes the bride," he began to sing.
"Oh no way," Jed snarled. "That ain't happening!"
Jed popped the ring back into his mouth and took a huge bite of pie just as Jane was at the edge of the crowd directly in front of him.
Then it happened.
Jed stared disbelievingly at nothing in particular. He spit and sputtered. He brought his hands up to his throat. He face turned red as he gasped for air.
"Oh my gosh, " Jane shouted. "He's choking! Someone, please help him!"
Everyone stopped to look at Jed. The mayor grabbed the microphone.
"We need the EMT's here immediately at the pie eating contest area! I repeat. We need the EMT's to the pie eating contest area immediately!"
Within seconds a big guy named Buzz, who was watching the contest, performed the Heimlich maneuver on Jed. After 2 or 3 attempts he could hear Jed taking in large amounts of air. Jed coughed a few times.
"Are you okay?" Buzz asked him.
Jed shook his head up and down. "Yeah, but I swallowed it!"
Brad burst out laughing, uncontrollably.
Buzz frowned at Brad.
"What's so funny?" he asked angrily.
"Well," Brad said in between chuckles. "It's going to be a few days before he sees his "prize ring"!"
There was more laughter from Brad. Then the crowd joined in on the idea of Jed looking for the ring over the next few days in the toilet! Even the mayor was wiping away tears from laughing.
Jed wasn't laughing. He wiped off his face and blew his nose. Jed looked at Brad, then at Jane and back at Brad.
"That's IF I want to see it again!"
"Jed, are you okay now?" the mayor asked. "Would you like us to continue the contest?"
Jed held up his arms and waved to the crowd, signaling he was indeed okay.
"Let's go," Jed shouted.
The mayor held the microphone. "I want to thank our EMT's for their quick response and for helping out Jed the way they did. Can we give them a big thank you?"
The people cheered and whistled while Buzz nodded at the crowd then disappeared behind the scenes.
"So, let's get back to the contest," announced the mayor. "You have ten minutes remaining. Go!"
Jed just picked at his pie, but the other 17 contestants dug in the gusto, shoving pie into the mouths!
A couple minutes later Brad got another pie. As he walked behind Jed to get back to his seat he slapped Jed upside the head.
"Just a couple days..." Brad said, teasing Jed.
Jed glared at Brad, pie hanging from his chin. "Bite me!" he responded.
Brad laughed loudly then took a monstrous size bite of his pie. His eyes widened in surprise.
"Ahhhh!" he screamed. He spit out the pie and grabbed a water bottle. He chugged it down on no time!
"Well, it looks like someone found the pie with the special ingredient!" Announced the mayor, snickering. "So, what do you think the secret ingredient was, contestant #9?"
Red-faced, Brad stood up. "I think it was hot sauce and I don't think it's a damn bit funny either!"
It was Jed's turn to laugh. Then the mayor and the people joined him.
"Well, we are in Texas where we love hot food," Mayor Taylor said. "The prize for this pie is one free pumpkin pie every week for one year! That is an outstanding prize from Grace's Bakery!"
Brad clinched his fist.
"You can have my prize, Mayor," he said angrily. "I sure as hell don't want it!"
"Well thank you, my boy! I accept!" he said graciously. "By the way, time is up! Enjoy your prizes everyone!"
Mayor Taylor looked over at Jed. "Well, if you can..." he said with a smile.