A Knobby New Ally

Kicked off the linen napkins and scrambled right onto the slick granite counter! Right there, bathed in bright morning light, sat a broad wooden bowl packed with striped mini squashes and speckled pears. Relatives? Distinct cousins? I marched straight over and tapped a bumpy yellow gourd. Thunk, thunk! Solid shell, zero rattle, but magnificent ridges! I seized its curly stem with both bony hands, planted my heels against the rim, and heaved. Wobble, tilt, settle! I wedged it snugly between two russet pears until it stood proud and upright. Now we're a proper crew ready to greet the day.