KANSAS CITY, MO — Memorial Day festivities experienced an awkward pause today, as a man committed a barbecue faux pas by eating corn on the cob without saying "Mmmm, this is good corn."
The unfortunate incident occurred at the Gaffney family cookout, where Uncle Nathan tucked into an ear of corn on the cob after a hard-fought victory in the family's ladder toss tournament and neglected to audibly voice the customary "Mmmm, this is good corn."
"I don't know what he was thinking," said Nathan's brother, Owen Gaffney. "Everything was going fine, we were having a wonderful day as a family… and then Nathan just sits down and starts eating some corn on the cob without saying anything. We were all watching him, sitting there quietly, waiting for him to provide the appropriate response. It never came."
The incident reportedly cast a dark cloud over the rest of the event. "Things just weren't the same after that," said Owen's wife, Becca. "We were whispering about it afterward, and none of us had ever experienced anything like it. Who takes a bite of corn on the cob at a barbecue without saying ‘Mmmm, this is good corn?' Who?!"
Uncle Nathan, who seemed unaware that the faux pas had been made, enjoyed the rest of the meal undisturbed.
At publishing time, the Gaffney family waited eagerly for the second round of food to be served to find out if Uncle Nathan would correct his egregious error while eating a second ear of corn.
