3169. An abundance © Bruce Goodman 8 April 2025

There’s no doubt that having an orchard in the field that was part of Clyde’s property would greatly add to the value of his house. Not that he had any intention of selling – at least for the moment. His house sat on quarter of an acre, but an adjoining field was about half an acre and an orchard would certainly be an attractive proposition. Clyde’s aim was to plant several varieties of the same fruit so they would be available at different times during the fruit season. Thus he planted two varieties of plums, two of apples, two of peaches, and so on. It had amounted to a considerable expense but it was a once off. Within two years Clyde estimated he might start to get a little fruit. He was right. Five years passed and what a cornucopia of produce! Apples, pears, plums, peaches, avocados, nectarines (he had only the one variety of nectarine), apricots, cherries. As the trees grew bigger Clyde wondered if perhaps he had planted some too close together. The trees seemed not to mind. His pride and joy was a little row of macadamia nut trees. How he enjoyed his orchard. But he was getting older. Soon he wouldn’t cope with the care of so many fruit trees. He would sell his property. Someone else, possibly a whole family, could enjoy the abundance he had established. When Clyde drove past six months after selling the house the orchard had been bulldozed and several rows of cramped together rental apartments had been built. Contact Author Back to Index Next Story Previous Story