I was running past the strawberries 

What do you know, there were some purples grapes on the vine as well 

Lightning bugs floated about like fairies 

I decided to cut through the trees and across the park 

I was trying to get home before dark 

I could hear a boombox playing

I smelled burgers and had a craving 

I reached for the Smuckers peanut butter packet in my pocket 

That salty, crunchy, fatty texture was ethereal

I couldn’t stop it 

I let it sit on my tongue 

The sunscreen in my eyes stung

As my heart pounded and legs ached

I was in the home stretch 

Mindful of my breath 

Took a swig from my Camelback

Suddenly, there was a near dog attack

But no, he was just a friendly labrador who had wandered

I stopped, looked over at the sunset and the picnic area and pondered 

I let her lick the remnants of the plastic peanut butter cup

She then took it and ran 

She was a fast pup 

I was tired but started running again

There was an achiness in my shins

I noticed two people from the picnic area get closer 

And closer, and closer

I picked up the pace as I trampled the clovers

But suddenly I was taken down from behind 

“Are you out of your mind?” I asked the guy

He said, “We heard you had the one thing we were trying to find!”

His two buddies approached as did the black labrador

On the ground beside me, what had expelled from my pocket were several packets of Smuckers crunchy peanut butter

One of my stalkers said, “That’s what we chased you for!”

One of the others held half a loaf of bread

Some others approached from the picnic area and said, “We got the spread!”

The beat from the boombox was loud and thumping 

An older lady said to me, “Come, have somethin’”

So I sat with the strangers and we all ate peanut butter and jam (strawberry and grape) sandwiches

Beneath sunset-picnic-shelter canvases