fancy ketchup

i did a google images search on "pink stockings" in an attempt to make fun of jean, but all this porno stuff came up. so instead, i will make fun of myself.
a few years ago, i wrote about a boy who travels around the world trying different foods with ketchup. he flies around in a hot air balloon called "the tomato".
actually, it's a follow-up to my first masterpiece, "detective squirrel", which was published in 1986 by Mrs. Lenz, my fifth grade teacher.
some lowlights:

a tale to tell, a story for sharing,
many bottles ago, was a boy quite daring

his name was Gene, a kid with a passion,
but it was not toys, television nor fashion

a riddle to most, are you ready to hear. . .
why to Gene, his KETCHUP was so very dear?...

as the Russian border neared, Gene’s teeth began to collide
lucky for Gene, his mother suggested a coat for the ride

left sleeve first, the right and then the hood
he zippered up as fast as he possibly could...

then it hit him, the question that solved his troubles,
“why in this lake are there no ripples nor bubbles?”

ten steps back, a sprint and then a leap!
“the lake is frozen, frozen ten feet deep!”...


a fifty foot ceiling, mountainous machines and a table quite long
there were about forty folks at this table, singing a happy Russian song...

over the world, under the moon, and straight through the sky
to the great food in the world, he blew one last kiss goodbye.

he had done it, he had dared to live his Ketchup dream
could we all be as happy, if we lived our lives like Gene?
o<