Watermelon Anyone?

Black Diamond watermelons at a local farmer's stand.

Those who know me well, know I'm not a fan of watermelon. Don't get me wrong--I'm not saying I dislike it like when America's 41st President George W. Bush said he hated broccoli. No hate emails please. However, till this day I can't stand anything watermelon i.e. candy, drinks, desserts and the juicy fruit itself. It hasn't always been this way. Yes, there is a watermelon back story for this blogger.

Growing up my dad's nickname from the neighborhood kids was: "The Watermelon Man." So, this is where this story starts. My dad's fondness for watermelon started when he was a kid. He grew up on a farm in Greenfield, Iowa, where his mom had a watermelon patch. He would share his love of watermelon with his own family someday. And he did, during summers growing up my dad would travel to a local orchard and buy a truck load of watermelons. His watermelon of choice was and still is, a Black Diamond. Most of my friends would snack on candy and ice cream in the summer. With a truck load of watermelons that is what The Bohan kids would eat. It was a delectable and refreshing summertime treat during Nebraska's hot summers. My dad would also give a watermelon to each family on our block; hence, where my dad's--The Watermelon Man--nickname came from. So, we'd eat a lot of watermelon all summer long.

Some years earlier, my grandmother's watermelon patch would be part of a conversation at a bar in Vietnam. My aunt's husband was at a local bar while on leave for a weekend pass; where he met another service person who happened to be from Greenfield, Iowa. My uncle would comment that his brother-in-law was from Greenfield. After learning my dad's name, the man would replay that he used to steal watermelons from the Bohan farm. It's a small watermelon world, indeed.

The Bohan family farm in Greenfield, Iowa.

While composing this post, I called my mom to get the account from above. Also, while I had her on the phone I had her ask my dad for some watermelon tips.

Question: How do you know when a watermelon is ripe?

Dad's Answer: When it tastes real sweet.

Thanks dad for what sounds like a knock, knock joke. In all honesty, to find out if a watermelon is ripe-- just thump it on the side. If a loud hollow sound emminates-- it is ready for the picking or consuming.

In short, to answer the watermelon anyone question; for 23 years now, I haven't been able to bring myself to eat a watermelon. Too much watermelon consumption for me. However, my siblings and parents still eat the fruit. In all seriousness, you can tell I still have very found memories of the watermelon, which suffices for me.

-population-we™ blog post by Becky Bohan Brown

© 2013 population-we, LLC 
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