Who stole my Watermelon?

The neighbourhood where I live, government environmental officials usually come around to empty the main rubbish bin placed in front of the apartment complexes.

However, last year, for reasons unknown to me, they stopped coming to empty the main bin. Over time, the rubbish overflowed, spreading onto the bare ground surrounding the bins.

One evening, while out for a walk, my attention was drawn to some watermelon plants growing on the bare ground near the bin, which had, in a way, turned into a mini garden.

Being a lover of watermelon, I was instantly drawn to the sight of the fruits sprouting and became excited. It soon became my routine to check on them whenever I was fortunate enough to return home early for my evening walk around the neighbourhood.

I remember excitedly calling my brother, who lives in another part of the city, to tell him about the watermelon fruits I had discovered growing just beside the main rubbish bin outside my apartment complex. I shared my anticipation of harvesting them in a few weeks. In fact, I had even checked on Google to find out how long it takes for a watermelon to fully mature and be ready for consumption.

I still recall how my brother burst into laughter upon hearing about my discovery, my monitoring efforts, and my excitement over harvesting my precious watermelons. He jokingly asked what made me think I was the only one keeping an eye on them. I confidently replied that, since the environmental staff who usually collected the rubbish hadn’t been coming and given the calibre of people in my neighbourhood—especially in my own apartment complex—I was certain that no one else would even think of the watermelon plants growing nearby.

You can therefore imagine my shock and utter disbelief when, during one of my evening walks, I went to check on my watermelon fruits, only to find them gone! Just two weeks away from my anticipated harvest, the large, beautiful watermelons I had been closely monitoring for weeks had simply vanished.

To say I was heartbroken would be an understatement. I kept asking myself, Who stole my watermelon?

There was no one else to share my disappointment with, apart from my brother, whom I had excitedly told about my discovery and my plans to enjoy the naturally grown fruits. Unlike some of the ones sold in fruit shops that end up tasting bitter due to artificial ripening, these were natural and pure. When I called my brother to share my frustration, he broke into uncontrollable laughter, teasing, So you really thought you were the only one planning to harvest those watermelons? We ended up laughing loudly over the phone.

Even now, whenever I pass by that spot, I find myself wondering, Who stole my watermelon?

So, if you’re a fellow watermelon lover and ever find them growing around your apartment, keep a close watch. Don’t wait until the last moment to harvest them—otherwise, you might find, just as I did, that they have mysteriously disappeared by the time you return.

You feel me?

Sharoneez Emephia