“Nail Soup (A Depression Recipe)” by M. F. Beal
Go up to a house which is pretty untidy and look around the back door until you find a nail. Then knock, and when the lady of the house comes take off your hat and ask her could she spare the ingredients for a nail soup. When she asks how you make that, show her the nail and tell her you take a nail and some water and ask her what else she’s got around. Usually she’ll be shamed enough to give you at least an onion and some potatoes.
To finish the soup: Go down to where everybody’s hanging out, and while you wait for your nail soup to cook, read in the newspaper about how they’re shoveling day-old chicks into the local dump, or pouring fresh cow’s milk down the sewer. When you get to the bottom of the pot, take a good long look at the nail and decide what to do with it.
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