The Greatest Things

I was coming home with a cut of bison
to fry hot and finish with mushrooms
that would take to the cast iron
smiling and accepting of
all those familiar flavors.
When,

In the parking lot winter stirred
pulled a sheet over itself
and whispered “Not yet.”

That evening the meat was rare
but really, just undercooked.
It happens, you know.
Plenty of things are pulled from the pan
too early.