The Roots of Friendship

By Rebecca Richard

All was quiet in the fruit bowl in the Smith Home. The fruit were all asleep. The vegetables in the fridge were all asleep, when suddenly… Splat! A huge blob of mushy peas had been catapulted with a teaspoon onto the side of the fruit bowl, followed by a mouldy carrot. There was a big commotion as the fruit awoke and cried. Ms. Pear -the president of the fruit bowl- got everyone into their protective banana skins and then got everyone back to sleep. Ms. Pear was certain that the culprit of the attack was a species of vegetable - perhaps the cabbages? Perhaps the potatoes? So, disguised as a piece of broccoli Ms. Pear went into the fridge. She passed the Carrot Crew. They seemed upset, Ms. Pear thought she knew the reason - their friend had been splatted against her fruit bowl. She sidled over to them (She had to act like broccoli) and asked them:

“Who was it that splatted against the fruit bowl?”

“It was Carl Carrot. He was three years out of date but we still loved him like anything!”

“Well, poor Carl he was my greatest friend…” said another carrot

“I’m sorry.” Said Ms. Pear sadly

“I only wish that Carl could still be with us, he was a great guy.”

“Poor Carl, he didn’t deserve to get splatted …mouldy or not.” Said Ms. Pear

The carrots sighed and wiped their eyes. She spotted the Tomato Team. They looked suspicious. They were whispering very quietly and hurrying about very suspiciously indeed Ms. Pear whipped off her disguise and screamed

“WHY DID YOU SPLAT THE FRUIT BOWL!”

“It wasn’t us!” the tomatoes said indignantly

“THEN WHY ARE YOU ACTING SO SUSPICOUSLY!”

“If you must know we were planning a cheer up party for the carrots because they lost Carl!”

“Well who was it then?” said Ms. Pear

The Parsnip People started fidgeting and breathing very fast. “I-i-it w-w-was us,” they stammered.

Ms. Pear advanced on them - they looked frightened.

“It was April Fools yesterday… we thought it was a joke…”

“A JOKE!” Raged Ms. Pear “A CARROT’S LIFE WAS LOST AND YOU THINK IT’S A JOKE! HOW DARE YOU!”

“We’re sorry,.” they all chorused.

“Does sorry bring back Carl?” said a carrot

“Carl was my brother!”

“Carl was my dad!”

“Carl was my husband!”

“How can I live without Carl? He was my best friend.”

“SEE WHAT YOU’VE DONE?” shouted Ms. Pear

“We didn’t mean to - he was three years out of date!” said the parsnips

“Does that make him different just because he can’t be eaten?” answered Ms. Pear

“It’s not fair - he might have been out of date but he didn’t deserve to die. He was a friend, brother, father and a husband.”

He did not deserve to die.

Carl was missed and the carrots were heart-broken. But no one ever forgot poor Carl. The parsnips learned that a joke is not funny unless everyone can laugh.

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