Alberto the Avocado:

A Short Story for Tough Times

by David Hume III, Brunswick Forest

 

Long ago and far away, when rural areas were large and towns were small, there existed a place where green, rolling hills were surrounded by thick forests and sweetwater streams. It was a pleasant place, inhabited by wild creatures of every variety.  Some had fins, some had fur and others had feathers.  They were of every shape, caste and color. Among the more exotic species were the green Grumblers, blue-haired Grinches and Polychrome Finches. But every now and then, a Ring-tailed Throp or a Trumpet Mouthed Ogero could be seen sunning themselves in the open areas of the forest or among the cows and horses in the pasturelands. And early each morning, the screech of the Gilded Gazzpazzers could be heard for miles. The animals on the farm lived in harmony with those in the forest.

A kind old lady, named Doña Monica lived alone in a small house in a tiny village on the edge of this enchanted land. She was very poor, but took pride in the tall avocado tree that her father had planted in front of the house when she was a little girl. Growing at the very top of the tree was a large avocado who she named, Alberto. He was the biggest avocado on Doña Monica’s tree, gathering energy from the sun and nourishment from the abundant rain that fell at night. But he was not happy. The other avocados were harvested easily because they were close to the ground. But Alberto became sad, thinking that he would never provide joy to anyone.

One day, when Doña Monica was tending her flowers in front of her house, a young man approached her from behind. He was a bad man, and he selected the kind, old lady as his next robbery victim. She began to scream and struggle as the man began striking her with a heavy club. Alberto heard the struggle below him, and suddenly knew what he had to do. He asked the wind to blow, and he began to bounce up and down until his stem snapped. He began to fall, faster and faster, until he struck the robber in the head, knocking him unconscious and saving Doña Monica.

After the police officers arrived and placed the bad man in their vehicle, they prepared a report of the incident. At first, the police thought that Doña Monica was imagining what had happened, until the facts were confirmed by her neighbors and the robber himself. Later, she planted Alberto’s seed beside her house and he grew tall and healthy. And from that day on, when neighbors and visitors passed her house, they repeated the story as they had heard it from the police chief and his officers…of how a humble avocado had saved the life of their favorite grandmother.

Years later, when a reporter was interviewing Doña Monica for a news story, he asked her if the story was true. Doña Monica simply winked and said, “Avocados are not only healthy for you, but they can save your life.” And Alberto the Third, who grew atop the second tree, puffed up with pride.