Joe had been through a lot in his life. He had spent his entire 70-year life in the same town. He had never felt the desire to leave because he was too preoccupied with trying to survive in his current town to even fantasize about other places.
He eventually found happiness by selling fruit for a living. Watermelons were his best seller. This allowed him and his wife to live comfortably for a long time. Even after she died, he continued to sell fruit at the same corner every day. Come rain or come shine.
Joe was a simple man who did not desire a luxurious and extravagant life. He desired to live comfortably, but his standard was lower than many others. He discovered that society made their lives difficult. Joe never completed high school. He came from a very broken home.
His parents fought constantly until, one day, his father decided enough was enough and left them for good. His mother began drinking, leaving Joe to fend for himself at a young age.
His stepfather, who married his mother a few years after his father divorced, was a nasty man.
Joe frequently took the long route home on his bike to avoid arriving home at the same time as his stepfather. He wished to quietly enter his bedroom window so no one would notice him.
Joe and his stepfather had a terrible fight when he was 15. Joe’s mother sobbed quietly in the corner, nursing a beer. Joe decided he’d had enough and fled from home that night.
He had a small sum of money saved from mowing people’s lawns, but it was enough to get him to a city far enough away that he wouldn’t be discovered.
Apart from his clothes, the only thing he brought with him was a small watermelon fridge magnet that his grandmother had given him as a birthday present. She had promised him that watermelons would bring him joy.
Joe met his life’s love when he was 18 years old. She was terrified as she sat beneath a bridge. He approached her and offered her a bite of his apple. She took the apple after questioning him. They would be joined at the hip from then on.
She was overjoyed when Joe proposed marriage to her. They didn’t have enough money to throw a big party. So they gathered their friends and held a ceremony under the same bridge where they first met. Joe’s best friend was well aware of his fondness for watermelons. So he brought a few for everyone to enjoy.
They tried to build a life together for the next few years. They both desired a simple life with little stress. Joe met a farmer one day who would change his life forever. He offered Joe a job selling the fruits he grows on his farm. Apples, oranges, bananas, and watermelons were among the fruits.
Joe’s fruit stand grew in popularity over time. Many people would avoid buying fruit from supermarkets and stop by Joe on their way home. Joe, who now had two children, found this a very profitable venture.
He could pay the rent on their small house and send his children to school. Joe was ecstatic because both of them had graduated. This was something he had never done before.
Joe and his wife lived happily in the same house as he grew older. His children had grown up and moved to the nearby big city. He was concerned about them, but he knew he had raised them to be intelligent.
A young man in a sharp business suit walked past Joe’s fruit stand one day. He paused to admire the apples for a moment before noticing a sign that Joe had erected. “Watermelons for sale!” it said. Purchase one for $3 or three for $10.”
Joe observed the man pondering this for a moment. He then asked Joe for one watermelon and offered him $3,00. Joe complied by wrapping it in brown paper. The man then asked for another watermelon and handed him $3.00.
At this point, the man did not leave. But then he reached into his wallet and took out another $3,00, handing it to him while motioning to the watermelons. Joe stood there watching the man walk away with the three watermelons. He noticed his big grin and the slight shake of his head.
Joe’s stall became a favorite of the young man in the suit. He would visit him once a month and buy three watermelons. Instead of paying $10.00 for three watermelons, he would request them individually and pay $3.00 each.
Aside from the necessary sales agreements and how-do-you-dos, he and Joe never spoke to each other. It took about six months for the young man to speak to Joe finally.
As the young man walked away from Joe’s fruit stand with his three watermelons, he halted. He returned to Joe and inquired why he was selling the watermelons at this price.
He explained to Joe that he saves $1.00 every time he buys three watermelons. The sign advertised three watermelons for $10.00 but purchasing them individually only cost $9.00. Joe stared at him.
The man began to laugh and walked away, calling him a fool. Joe, on the other hand, was determined to sell as many watermelons as possible. That’s why he devised the clever sign in the first place.
This fictitious story was inspired by stories found on the internet. Any parallels between this story and real people are entirely coincidental.
