Joseph had had an extraordinary 70-year life in the same place. He had never been anywhere because he was too busy trying to get by to even think about going elsewhere.
He eventually discovered joy in selling fruit from the corner, where he and his wife had made do for a long time until her death, when he carried on the business rain or shine.
Joe was humble and didn’t want anything more than what he needed to make a living, which was less than many other people.
He realized that society frequently made it difficult for individuals who did not get a higher degree, such as himself, and who came from broken homes, such as his own.
So, Joe only aimed for something flashy or luxurious, preferring to make ends meet without having to work too much to live comfortably.
Joe’s parents had a rocky relationship, with his father finally leaving for good. As a coping tactic, his mother began drinking regularly, leaving Joe to fend for himself at a young age.
She later remarried a guy Joe despised; his stepfather was harsh and overbearing.
Joe often rode his bike in circles around town to avoid unwanted attention at home. He would wait until late at night to get home so he could sneak into his room without being seen.
When Joe was 15, he and his stepfather got into a fight that turned violent. His mother was left crying in the corner with an empty beer bottle.
Joe concluded he’d had enough at that point and decided to take off and leave home for good.
Joe had saved a small quantity of money from his jobs, which was enough to allow him to flee to a distant city and live without fear of being detected.
His lone companion on his voyage was a tiny fridge magnet in the shape of a watermelon, given to him as a birthday present by his adoring grandma, who had promised it would bring him joy and luck.
Joe’s actual future was revealed when he met the woman who would become his life’s love. Joe approached her as she crouched beneath a bridge, shaking with dread, and offered her a bite from his apple.
She accepted the fruit from him after asking some questions to ensure he wasn’t dangerous, and their close friendship grew from there.
She was overjoyed when Joe’s romantic marriage proposal was accepted. Instead of a grand celebration, they held an intimate wedding on the same bridge where they initially met.
Joe’s best friend had recognized Joe’s liking for watermelons and decided to supply the beverage for their wedding day.
The couple worked hard for the next few years to live a stress-free life.
While out and about one day, Joe came across an elderly farmer who made him an offer that would change his life forever: he recommended that Joe make a living by selling the various fruits from his plantation, including apples, oranges, bananas, and even watermelons!
Joe’s fruit shop quickly became a familiar fixture in the neighborhood. Locals began to avoid generic supermarkets in favor of Joe’s stall on their way home.
Joe found this to be a very profitable industry, especially since he now had his own two small children.
Joe had worked hard his entire life, and his primary goal was to provide for his family.
Finally, after years of hard work, he could realize his dream: he could pay the rent on their small home and send all of his children to school. Joe had never imagined himself capable of doing something like this before.
Joe was anxious about his children now that they were grown and living in the city, but he was also proud of himself for raising them well and investing intelligence and drive in them.
One day, when Joe was out tending to his fruit stand, selling apples for one dollar or three dollars, a man in a nice business suit walked by to see what Joe had to offer.
Joseph had not only displayed apples for sale, but he had also displayed a sign promoting watermelons for sale.
Joe watched in wonder as the man pondered the situation for a few moments before asking for one watermelon and offering him $3.00 in exchange.
Joe quickly cooperated and carefully wrapped it in brown paper before the stranger requested another three-dollar bill and handed it over.
Strangely, the customer didn’t leave this time. Instead, he dug deep into his wallet to find a third three-dollar bill and pointed to the two watermelons that were still available.
Joe was taken aback by this unusual gesture and watched as the man walked away with all three watermelons, a satisfied grin, and a tiny shake of his head.
As the months passed, the young man in the suit returned to Joe’s stand every month, always buying three watermelons.
Nevertheless, rather than paying the standard $10.00 for all three, he would order them individually and pay $3.00 each, much to Joe’s amazement.
Despite his confusion at this behavior, Joe got fond of his frequent customer since there was something special about his humble approach that made consumers feel like they could entirely trust him.
Because of their binding sales contracts, the young man only talked to Joe for about six months.
When he returned from Joe’s fruit stand with three watermelons and realized that buying them individually would have saved him a dollar, he wondered why the sign advertised them at such a low price. Joe was taken aback as the man revealed his results.
Their interaction was especially odd given their history; it had been a long time since they’d interacted in any meaningful sense.
For some strange reason, this seemingly small price difference set off a chain reaction that led the young man to go up to Joe and start a conversation that he had avoided for almost six months.
He felt empowered and curious; what was the point of advertising three watermelons for $10 when it was cheaper to buy them separately? The answer was not immediately apparent, but an exciting observation sparked an odd conversation.
As he talked, the man couldn’t help but laugh, unable to hide his amusement and confusion at Joe’s attempt to sell his watermelons.
On the other hand, Joseph was determined to beat the odds and ensure that no one passed him without knowing about the delectable fruits he had to offer.
Joe designed an attention-grabbing and convincing sign with much thought and imagination. He knew that the fruit would be purchased if even one person stopped to look at it.
This story is loosely based on accounts gleaned from the internet. No real people or events were used to make it, and any similarities to real life are purely coincidental.
