BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PUMPKINS?
Norbert sat shriveling in the lobby, watching another round of newbies being brought to the retirement center. In his prime, he had been the classic pumpkin: triangle eyes, triangle nose, jagged teeth. His features were fading now, his face less recognizable. "These new guys," he thought to himself, "they don't appreciate their heritage. Look at this guy, a graveyard isn't a face!" His irritation rose further when he saw Graveyard was talking to a Happy Halloween. "Some front," he thought, "It's a wonder they kept you as long as they did." Turning to go back to his room, he made his way down the long hallway.
Because his family had carved Norbert a full week before Halloween, he'd been one of the first to arrive at the retirement center. He didn't blame them; they were a busy family and they didn't have the time to refrigerate him every night. It was when he started to go soggy that things just became too much for them. Still, he never really got used to the alarm his face brought to the newcomers. One of the more naive pumpkins nervously found gumption enough to ask him, "Will I end up like you, too?" Norbert, understanding the youngster's concern but not wanting to lie, looked him straight in the eyes. "Sooner than you think," Norbert replied. "Sooner than you think."
Back in his room, Norbert cleaned the new mold from his eyes and looked out the window at the fallen leaves. After a light knocking, a nurse stuck her head in his room.
"Collecting stray seeds. Need anything?"
Norbert quietly shook his head, looking back to the leaves after the door closed.
They covered the ground, covered each other, in masses of gold and orange and red. He pondered the fall, sadly lamenting the season that took so many to their end. He remembered the pumpkin patch of his youth, the happy farmer who tended the field. His exciting trip to the city. The Sander's family. And Billy. Good Billy. It had been his first Halloween, and Norbert had been his very first pumpkin. Looking at the lights of the city in the distance, he wondered what his family was doing and if they missed him.
He walked over to his bed. Just before turning out the light, he looked at the picture of himself and Billy, taken two weeks before, on the porch of the blue house he'd called home. He smiled. "No," Norbert realized, “I've had it pretty good. I was a first pumpkin."
Because his family had carved Norbert a full week before Halloween, he'd been one of the first to arrive at the retirement center. He didn't blame them; they were a busy family and they didn't have the time to refrigerate him every night. It was when he started to go soggy that things just became too much for them. Still, he never really got used to the alarm his face brought to the newcomers. One of the more naive pumpkins nervously found gumption enough to ask him, "Will I end up like you, too?" Norbert, understanding the youngster's concern but not wanting to lie, looked him straight in the eyes. "Sooner than you think," Norbert replied. "Sooner than you think."
Back in his room, Norbert cleaned the new mold from his eyes and looked out the window at the fallen leaves. After a light knocking, a nurse stuck her head in his room.
"Collecting stray seeds. Need anything?"
Norbert quietly shook his head, looking back to the leaves after the door closed.
They covered the ground, covered each other, in masses of gold and orange and red. He pondered the fall, sadly lamenting the season that took so many to their end. He remembered the pumpkin patch of his youth, the happy farmer who tended the field. His exciting trip to the city. The Sander's family. And Billy. Good Billy. It had been his first Halloween, and Norbert had been his very first pumpkin. Looking at the lights of the city in the distance, he wondered what his family was doing and if they missed him.
He walked over to his bed. Just before turning out the light, he looked at the picture of himself and Billy, taken two weeks before, on the porch of the blue house he'd called home. He smiled. "No," Norbert realized, “I've had it pretty good. I was a first pumpkin."
posted by Henderson | 9:59 AM
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