March 13, 2010
Noticing the low fuel light on the dashboard I turned toward the fruit stand at the corner of 123rd and James. As I
pulled to the forward pump the attendant approached my window and asked “Regular or Organic?”
“Fill it with Regular,” I replied.
I didn’t see the point in paying extra for Organic. I wasn’t driving one of those banana guzzling, high performance hot
rods anyway. The Owner’s Manual even recommended Regular bananas, so I wasn’t about to throw extra money at
the banana industry. With the price of Regular approaching two dollars a bunch it was getting hard enough to pay the
mortgage, feed the family and send the kids to school and still have money left over to pay for bananas so I could get
Noticing the low fuel light on the dashboard I turned toward the fruit stand at the corner of 123rd and James. As I
pulled to the forward pump the attendant approached my window and asked “Regular or Organic?”
“Fill it with Regular,” I replied.
I didn’t see the point in paying extra for Organic. I wasn’t driving one of those banana guzzling, high performance hot
rods anyway. The Owner’s Manual even recommended Regular bananas, so I wasn’t about to throw extra money at
the banana industry. With the price of Regular approaching two dollars a bunch it was getting hard enough to pay the
mortgage, feed the family and send the kids to school and still have money left over to pay for bananas so I could get
| Foreign Bananas |
| Bohnet Photography, Seattle WA |
| Back to Write Stuff |
| Back to Write Stuff |
“That will be forty-one, fifty,” the attendant said as he wiped his hands. I handed
him a fifty. After some digging around in a pouch on his belt he handed me eight
fifty in change and a receipt. Without saying another word he turned and walked to
the car behind me.
“Didn’t even offer to clean the windshield,” I muttered under my breath.
I started the car and turned toward the street. As I pulled into traffic I noticed the
gauge showed only ¾ full. “Crap!” I thought. “The country’s going to hell in a fruit
basket.” //ddb
him a fifty. After some digging around in a pouch on his belt he handed me eight
fifty in change and a receipt. Without saying another word he turned and walked to
the car behind me.
“Didn’t even offer to clean the windshield,” I muttered under my breath.
I started the car and turned toward the street. As I pulled into traffic I noticed the
gauge showed only ¾ full. “Crap!” I thought. “The country’s going to hell in a fruit
basket.” //ddb
to and from work. The Dole administration had promised to end our country's
dependence on foreign bananas, but it was already three years since the election
and banana imports were at all time highs. Now rumors were starting to surface
about African Banana Wilt showing up in isolated locations in South and Central
America. Throw in Panama disease and if you ask me, the days of bananas at 59
cents a pound are gone forever.
dependence on foreign bananas, but it was already three years since the election
and banana imports were at all time highs. Now rumors were starting to surface
about African Banana Wilt showing up in isolated locations in South and Central
America. Throw in Panama disease and if you ask me, the days of bananas at 59
cents a pound are gone forever.