Release Date: February 1, 2026
Thank you for visiting the free, online version of the “What Ben Didn’t Know…” series. I hope you enjoy “The Polish Donut.”
The free versions of the “What Ben Didn’t Know…” series are planned to be released a few weeks after the official releases for e-readers and in print.
I’m happy to offer the free version for those who want to just check out the stories. I would ask that if you enjoy the story, please share with your friends. Your support, whether in purchasing or just reading, means the world to me.
Thanks!
Andy
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For my mom who made paczki with no filling.
A Most Glorious Morning!
“Come on, Amy! We gotta go!” Ben exclaimed as his alarm clock went off.
Rolling over to look at Ben, still tucked under the covers and wanting to sleep a little longer, Amy groggily said, “What? Why? Where?”
“It’s Paczki Day!”
“What day?” asked Amy.
“Paczki Day! You know, punch-key day for you non-Polish types! We have to get going before there’s a line!”
Just then Amy remembered it was Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. She thought back to months ago when they both scheduled this week off work, hoping to go on vacation in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Unfortunately, the travel plans fell through, and they decided on a stay-cation instead.
“Ben, they will have plenty. We have time.”
With a puzzled look of how Amy couldn’t feel the same excitement he was experiencing, Ben nudged her while she tried to roll completely under the covers.
“How can you just lie there?”
Starting to get annoyed, Amy replied, “Because it’s our vacation, remember, and even though it’s more of a stay-cation, I want to sleep in.”
“Fine,” Ben snapped back like a child who wasn’t getting his way, “I’ll let you sleep a little longer. Is half an hour enough?”
“How about an hour?” negotiated Amy.
Ben, knowing this was a battle he was not going to win, and as he didn’t want to risk having to go to the bakery alone, caved, “Okay, I’ll go have some coffee.”
Amy rolled back over, realizing that in exactly 60 minutes, and not a minute later, Ben would be back in the bedroom to wake her.
As Amy was drifting off for a 60-minute snooze, Ben softly started singing a haphazard tune while he was leaving the bedroom:
“It’s Paczki Day
“It’s Paczki Day
“Everybody say “Yay” for Paczki Day!
“No it’s not a jelly donut, at least not the real ones.
“Nope, it’s Paczki Day!
“It’s Paczki Day
“Everybody say “Yay” for Paczki Day!”
Ben closed the door, and as he was walking down the hallway Amy could still hear him,
“It’s Paczki Day,
“It’s Paczki Day
“Everybody say “Yay” for Paczki Day!”
A grin came to Amy’s face as she fell back asleep humming Ben’s tune.