He had the real knack for apple pie, as well as the perfect recipe. Thirteen blue ribbons served as a testament. These trophies were paltry tokens. He valued the prize money, but only for the treatments it had gone toward during the later years. 

The real crux was the look on Jody’s face whenever she had brought that first spoonful to her lips. Apple pie with vanilla ice cream, her favorite.  

That was why he had gone to the crossroads. A simple bargain for a simple soul. The autumn wind chilled as he rocked on the porch swing and waited.