# Jas. A. Ballard explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ring Lardner.

## What happens

A brief, humorous poem about Jas. A. Ballard, Sales Manager of Semet Solvay Co. in Detroit, who praises a man named Jim for not overcharging him for coal, treating him fairly as if he were a stranger.

## Themes in this chapter

### Humor and Satire

The poem uses lighthearted verse to comment on fair business dealings.

### Work and Profession

References the roles of sales manager and coal supplier in a professional transaction.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The speaker who sends a rush order for coal and appreciates fair pricing.

### James F. Stepina

Implied as 'Jim,' the person who supplies coal without overcharging.

## Key lines

> When the coal pile gets dang’rously slim, I send a rush order to Jim, Who, bless his old soul, Soaks me no more for coal Than if I were a stranger to him.

When I'm low on coal, I urgently order from Jim, who charges me the same fair price he would charge anyone else.

_Highlights the narrator's appreciation for Jim's honest pricing._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/jas-a-ballard
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters