The horrenduous watermelon
The first time I went to choose fruits at supermarket was an extremely rewarding experience. By pure good luck, of course. It was my first Christmas Eve with my wife’s family and they gave me the simple mission of buying a watermelon for the party.
At this point I must say shopping for Christmas was very different at that time. Nowadays we have Christmas items overcrowding supermarket shelves from November to the end of January. Twenty years ago you should anticipate your shopping and buy everything you need some days in advance: turkeys, hams and even chickens – as well as the most popular fruits - used to vanish from the shelves as if supermarkets all over the city had been attacked by voracious barracuda hordes.
As a beginner I had no idea of this sudden consumption on Christmas and when I finally went to the supermarket they were out of watermelons. Let's remember, unfortunately it was the first time my performance as a husband would be demonstrated before the whole family and I knew that any failure could lead me to eternal disgrace. So tirelessly I went from one supermarket to the next to finally find a solitary watermelon amidst the crowd of desperate buyers.
As you can easily imagine, it was a terribly ugly watermelon. There was a big grey wound on its shell as if it had been dragged by Cherokee horses through the desert. The rest of it was of a fainted greened-white color capable of discouraging even the most enthusiastic believer. Not to mention its strange shape, much like President Nixon’s head. But I was really tired then and bought it anyway. Ready for disapproval.
On Christmas Eve when I arrived to the party carrying that watermelon people looked compassionately at me. Poor guy. But soon things changed and they came to congratulate me as a great watermelon buyer. It was one of the best watermelons I’ve ever tried, ripe and sweet and seedless. Certainly a Christmas miracle.
Well, now I think I should make some philosophical reflections about inner and outer qualities of things and persons, but I think it's better to stop right now here. One thing I learned is you should not push your luck.
At this point I must say shopping for Christmas was very different at that time. Nowadays we have Christmas items overcrowding supermarket shelves from November to the end of January. Twenty years ago you should anticipate your shopping and buy everything you need some days in advance: turkeys, hams and even chickens – as well as the most popular fruits - used to vanish from the shelves as if supermarkets all over the city had been attacked by voracious barracuda hordes.
As a beginner I had no idea of this sudden consumption on Christmas and when I finally went to the supermarket they were out of watermelons. Let's remember, unfortunately it was the first time my performance as a husband would be demonstrated before the whole family and I knew that any failure could lead me to eternal disgrace. So tirelessly I went from one supermarket to the next to finally find a solitary watermelon amidst the crowd of desperate buyers.
As you can easily imagine, it was a terribly ugly watermelon. There was a big grey wound on its shell as if it had been dragged by Cherokee horses through the desert. The rest of it was of a fainted greened-white color capable of discouraging even the most enthusiastic believer. Not to mention its strange shape, much like President Nixon’s head. But I was really tired then and bought it anyway. Ready for disapproval.
On Christmas Eve when I arrived to the party carrying that watermelon people looked compassionately at me. Poor guy. But soon things changed and they came to congratulate me as a great watermelon buyer. It was one of the best watermelons I’ve ever tried, ripe and sweet and seedless. Certainly a Christmas miracle.
Well, now I think I should make some philosophical reflections about inner and outer qualities of things and persons, but I think it's better to stop right now here. One thing I learned is you should not push your luck.
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