Dear Readers:
In this short story, the destruction of Vulcan has not occurred and Spock and Uhura will spend some time with their respective parents during their extended honeymoon.
This re-edited chapter has combined parts of the two posted ones. I hope it does it justice. The Vulcan experience will take place in chapter two.
The Watermelon Debate
Spock and Nyota had determined that they would spend the second part of their honeymoon on Terra, in Nairobi with Uhura's family. This was their second day there and they had awoken very early and were walking in her father's vegetable garden. They had already toured her mother's flower garden and Spoke had admired the great variety of floral species his mother-in-law had successfully nurtured in the very hot temperatures of Nyota's homeland. His mother had what humans referred to as a 'green thumb' and also had managed to grow several hot weather rose varieties imported from Australia, there on Vulcan.
Nyota stops and looks down at a spherical, green species of vegetation with variegated stripes running down its sides. Spoke really did not know the name of what his wife is stroking. His right eyebrow is raised. With a joyful lilt to her voice Nyota smiles and says,
"Spock this is a watermelon."
She kneels and proceeds to tap the object with a suspended finger and then exclaims,
"It is ripe. Poppa must be experimenting with the 'personal size melons'."
She deftly removes the object from its vine and smiling says,
"When we were younger my father grew that largest watermelons in the area. No one was able to determine how his crop always grew to monumental size. I remember one summer he gave each of us our own personal watermelon. Momma had stripped us all down to our underwear to save herself additional laundry. The melons were so large that the only part of the melon we could eat was what is called 'the heart', it had no seeds. After we had eaten what we could Poppa took the rest and placed them in the compost heap. Come to think of it, that probably was one of the reasons Poppa's gardens are successful."
Spock questioned,
"Your mother allowed you to take in nourishment without being properly clothed?"
Looking up proudly his wife said,
"Yes, it was a logical decision."
Spock was following her closely, not sure where she was going, or for that matter, what she was talking about…watermelons?
Spock mother and father-in-law had gone to town to take care of business and so it was just he and His Nyota who were present in the house. Before they had reached the house Spock had relieved Nyota of her small burden and then once in the kitchen he was not sure where he should put the object. Nyota took it from him, placed it in the sink and washed it thoroughly. As she did so, she continued to reminisce…
"Jabari* always loved watermelons. He would sneak into the watermelon patch, pick one and go off into hiding and eat it all by himself."
As they entered the house she voiced,
"Wait a minute, I believe my parents have a picture of us enjoying ourselves one summer."
She excused herself for a minute and went to the family's holo-projector and Spock heard,
"Here it is."
Of course, Spock was still puzzled because as he thought of his brother-in-law, a towering figure, he attempted to imagine how he could be bothered with such a light food fare. In his mind already Spock was analyzing the name of the fruit…Nyota did say it was a fruit, did she not? The term watermelon would indicate that one of the fruits main properties would be the liquid water. Continuing in this line of reasoning he questioned, was the fruit's ratio of water to its other parts very high? That of course would explain the name. But what if an analysis of the liquid part of the fruit showed a very high mineral content, would fruit be the proper designation? Then perhaps it would qualify as some sort of mineral supplement.
As Nyota cut the fruit the juices ran down the drain board into the sink.
Since Nyota had selected what appeared to be a very sharp knife, Spock wondered was the skin very tough? Nyota sliced the 'fruit in half and four colors presented themselves—a green skin, a second layer of white and then a deep red with large black pods, perhaps these were seeds. Nyota placed one half of the fruit on a plate, secured a fork and spoon and came and sat on his lap.
Using the fork as a pointer she began describing the fruit, all the while licking her lips. This did not lead to his general comfort.
"Spock, the green part is the skin, we do not eat that part of the melon. The second part that is white we do not eat unless it is pickled."
'Pickled?' Nyota, what is pickled?"
"It is when one combines water, vinegar, spices, and sugar in a cooking process. In this case the peeled white of the watermelon."
Spock nodded.
"Now let us get to the good part."
"Good part, the fruit is in some way involved with morality?"
"No Spock, it is tasty…that kind of good."
She used the fork to cut a portion of the fruit and held it to his mouth. She instructed,
"Open wide."
Spock complied and she placed the unfamiliar food in his mouth, she indicated he should chew. As he did so she said that now he would come to experience why it was a favorite food for many.
Spock nodded his head, it was sweet. As he finished chewing he took the spoon from her hand and put some of the juice in his mouth.
"Nyota, I believe that there is a high mineral count in the fruit juices. If that is the case perhaps it should not be viewed as a fruit, but perhaps a vegetable that can be used as a mineral supplement."
"No Spock, it is a fruit."
"But logic dictates that the naming of any object should take place after careful study so that the actual name is not misleading."
"For centuries now, this fruit has been call watermelon. There are many varieties, some large, others small, some with seeds, some without, the colors vary from yellow, pink, red and recently someone claims to have created a watermelon with green flesh. That would hold no appeal to me. We have always eaten it as a fruit, it is never cooked except what I mention earlier about the rind. Then it is used as a vegetable. So I take my original statement back, since my mother would save the rind, pickle it and use it as a vegetable."
He responded,
"So the red part is fruit and the white part is vegetable?"
"I guess that is correct Spock…I never thought of it that way."
Rising from the table Nyota indicated that they would take the 'fruit' outside. As he sat down she again positioned herself on his lap and after taking a piece of the fruit, gave him another piece, then inquired,
"How do you like it?"
"With this second sample I believe it is a bit too sweet for my palate."
She handed him the plate and went back into the kitchen and secured a salt shaker. Sprinkling some on the fruit and then cut another sample for him. He shook his head as he ate, apparently enjoying the addition of 'a bitter'.
"Is that better?"
"I find it definitely more palatable."
She then took some of the fruit for herself and smiled as she took some more. Finally after sharing almost the entire half of the melon she took the final piece and held it in her teeth and said,
"Half of this is yours."
Spock bit forward and grasped the beckoning fruit between his own teeth as his lips met hers, sticky, sweet and inviting.
They did not stay on the porch much longer after that. He was still enjoying the taste of her watermelon tinged lips as he carried her to their room.
`0`0`0`0`0`0`
Later when her parents returned Nyota recounted Spock's introduction to the fruit/vegetable. Her mother said,
"It would take Spock to analyze the food he was eating, even possibly enjoying and making it a scientific study."
Nyota smiled and squeezed her husband's hand.
Benjamin scratched his head and looked at his Vulcan son-in-law with the most quizzical look on his face and simply stated,
"I do not believe in all Terra's history that that question has ever been explored before."
He then invited Spock to join him in his garden.
As they walked Spock inquired,
"What are the ideal growing conditions for the watermelon?"
"Spock two things that are paramount is lots of water and plenty of space. Soil conditions can be augmented through adding rich soil and, of course fertilizing the growing crop."
Again, Spock's nod.
That evening as they enjoyed the cool evening and another sample of watermelon Nyota took some of the fruit for herself and smiled as she took some more. Finally after sharing almost the entire half of the melon she took the final piece and held it in her teeth and again said,
"Half of this is yours."
Spock again grasped the beckoning fruit and anyone observing the newly weds would realize it was not just watermelon that Spock enjoyed that evening.