Texting Topics: Pineapples of All Things

So, after not thinking of much to write about today, I asked a friend what he thought I should write about. "Pineapples" he said. Pineapples. Of all things that could be magical in this world, he says pineapples. So, after careful consideration, I thought, "Hey, why not?" Better yet, why not text random friends for a topic when I can't think of one. So, with that I introduce Texting Topics, with today's theme being Pineapples.

While looking for ways to talk about a pineapple, I came across this story about a state exam in NY for eighth-graders. Apparently, this one story caused such an uproar that parents are worried it will affect their children's future. Here's the story:

The Hare and the Pineapple

by Daniel Pinkwater

In olden times, the animals of the forest could speak English just like you and me. One day, a pineapple challenged a hare to a race.

(I forgot to mention, fruits and vegetables were able to speak too.)

A hare is like a rabbit, only skinnier and faster. This particular hare was known to be the fastest animal in the forest.

“You, a pineapple have the nerve to challenge me, a hare, to a race,” the hare asked the pineapple. “This must be some sort of joke.”

“No,” said the pineapple. “I want to race you. Twenty-six miles, and may the best animal win."

"You aren't even an animal!" the hare said. “You're a tropical fruit!"

“Well, you know what I mean,” the pineapple said.

The animals of the forest thought it was very strange that tropical fruit should want to race a very fast animal.

"The pineapple has some trick up its sleeve," a moose said.

Pineapples don't have sleeves, an owl said

"Well, you know what I mean,” the moose said. "If a pineapple challenges a hare to a race, it must be that the pineapple knows some secret trick that will allow it to win.”

“The pineapple probably expects us to root for the hare and then look like fools when it loses,” said a crow. “Then the pineapple will win the race because the hare is overconfident and takes a nap, or gets lost, or something.”

The animals agreed that this made sense. There was no reason a pineapple should challenge a hare unless it had a clever plan of some sort. So the animals, wanting to back a winner, all cheered for the pineapple.

When the race began, the hare sprinted forward and was out of sight in less than a minute. The pineapple just sat there, never moving an inch.

The animals crowded around watching to see how the pineapple was going to cleverly beat the hare. Two hours later when the hare cross the finish line, the pineapple was still sitting still and hadn't moved an inch.

The animals ate the pineapple.

MORAL: Pineapples don't have sleeves

Read the article to find out what all the uproar was, I honestly don't think it's that big a deal. See, I kinda get the moral. Pineapples don't have sleeves. Sometimes, a pineapple that cannot move is really just a pineapple. People (and animals apparently) think too much about ways they might be tricked. They're skeptical and cautious. They always want to be right, they're afraid to be wrong.

But, sometimes, we just have to take things for what they are. I think this means a lot when someone does a kind gesture of goodwill. So many times we're skeptical and we think there must be something fishy, or they must want something out of it. Even today when I hugged my Mom and said I loved her and she responded "What did you do, or what do you want?"(Jokingly, of course). 

Is it too hard to believe that sometimes people just want to be nice, to show how much they care, to do a good deed? Is it hard to believe that sometimes magic happens?

And a quick note to anyone who I have in my address book: Be Warned! You never know when I'll be contacting you for my next Texting Topic!