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Fiction

The Alternative Childhood History of a Franchise Founder

J was a student. He had a terrible bully. He feared going to school.

One day, sitting outside under a tree eating his lunch, he heard a commotion coming from the school cafeteria.

He moved his way through the crowd and saw his bully on the ground swollen and red with labored breath. A nurse administered adrenaline and saved the bully’s life. Later, it was determined that the bully had a severe peanut allergy; information that made an impression on J.

That year, with his bully in the hospital, J made four friends.

One summer, J and his friends decided to all get jobs on farms, except one friend that moved to the city. Another friend worked on a peanut farm. Incidentally, the daughter of the farmer there became J’s girlfriend.

The four farm hands & the girl went to visit friend five in the city. They ate at a burger place which was swell. Five said, “I’m attending school to become a trucker. Maybe I can visit you all on my trips when I’m done,” which is when J had the idea.

“Let’s start a burger joint out where we live, then you can come visit us.

“We’ll use our connections & take all the ingredients fresh from the farms. And we’ll give away peanuts as an appetizer.” J’s girlfriend hugged his arm.

“Fine by us,” his friends said.