WATERMELON
By Febobe (Frodo Baggins of Bag End)


"Bet I can."

"Bet you can't."

"Just watch!"

Frodo laughed as Elanor, eager to prove her point, spit watermelon seeds intently at the nearest tree, trying her hardest to make them gather distance. . .but alas, most of them fell to the ground rather close by. Taking another bite of his own slice, he shook his head.

"Told you, Elly-elle. Now watch, but don't tell Mummy. She'll have my head if she finds out I'm showing you this."

Elanor made a face, but nodded, watching as Frodo studied the nearest tree, expertly delivering a few seeds in rapid succession, all of which managed to cover more than thrice the distance of Elanor's, which were mostly dribbling down her pinafore. "How?"

"Just be patient with it. . .and don't blow too quickly. Otherwise they go down your chin instead."

She laughed, the music of chimes in the summer air. "Do you know *everything*, Fro?"

"No. . . ." Shaking his head, he pulled her into his lap, tickling her till she giggled merrily. "No, I know very little at all, Elly-elle. . .except that if I had a memory-box, I would wrap this afternoon up all in red and green and black, and put it in, and keep it forever."

"Me too." She grinned, showing a missing front tooth. "Will you catch fireflies with me tonight?"

"Of course. Race you in to get cleaned up first, though! Mummy will have supper soon, and Dad will be in from doing mayor work. . .and everyone will be ready but us - "

She was inside long before he even reached the start of the walk. . .his pace couldn't have matched hers, even if he could still run. At the door, he paused to look back at the rich spreading glow of the late afternoon sun.

"FRO! Last one in's a rotten egg!"

He smiled. "Coming, Elly-elle!"

Sometimes it was good to be. . .watermelon seeds.

Or bugs.

Or even a rotten egg.

~

Pretty Good Year | email FrodoAtBagEnd