Apple Monster Meets his Father
Apple Monster was standing under his apple tree admiring the view. As he looked out over the open field, he remembered that it was Father’s Day.
“I sure wish I knew where my father was,” said Apple Monster. “I would like to meet both him and my mother.”
Apple Monster saw a colony of working ants wandering around the ground, close by his apple tree.
“How are the ground apples?” asked Apple Monster as he watched the worker ants gather up some of the apples that had fallen onto the ground.
“They are serving us very well,” said one of the worker ants. “That is a beneficial agreement that we have concerning the apples.”
“I am happy about that,” said Apple Monster. “The agreement works well with me as well.”
Apple Monster didn’t like how the ants were taking good apples from the tree to eat. As a matter of fact, Apple Monster didn’t like anyone touching the apples off his tree. Those apples were his and his alone. He came to an agreement with the ants. They could take all the apples that lay on the ground but they are not allowed to touch apples that are on the tree. The ants were very pleased about this agreement because that meant they didn’t have to climb up the tree to get at them. They could just take the apples that had fallen onto the ground. There were always plenty there for the ants to take.
“It is too bad that we didn’t come to this agreement when your father was around,” said the worker ant.
“My father?” asked Apple Monster, confused. “You knew my father?”
“Yes,” said the worker ant. “This tree used to belong to him.”
“I have never met my father,” said Apple Monster.
“That is strange,” said the worker ant. “We see him at least once a week?”
“Wait a minute,” said Apple Monster. “I have seen someone hanging around here the past few weeks. You mean to tell me that someone is my father.”
“Yes,” said the worker ant. “That is correct.”
Apple Monster was shocked. He had often wondered about his parents. Nobody had ever talked to him about them. His very earliest memory is of himself, as a young child, playing around the apple tree by himself.
Apple Monster had so many questions to ask his father. He wanted to know about his family. He wanted to know about his mother.
That afternoon, Apple Monster cleaned up around his apple tree and then he took a walk to the river and cleaned himself up. Once Apple Monster was all clean, he walked back toward the apple tree. There, standing under the apple tree was the man he had seen hanging around.
“Sir,” said Apple Monster. “Are you my father?”
“Yes,” said the man. “I am your father.”
“I have so many questions,” said Apple Monster.
“Yes,” said Father. “I suppose you do. Why don’t I fill you in on what has been going on with me?”
“Okay,” said Apple Monster. “That sounds good. Maybe that will answer most of my questions.”
“Yes,” said Father. “It might.”
Father told Apple Monster about how when he was his age, he lived under the apple tree that he now lives at. He told him how he only ate apples for years and years. He felt that he could survive just by eating apples. However, all that changed when he met Apple Monster’s mother.
“She was a beauty,” said Father.
“Where is she?” asked Apple Monster. “Is she close by? I want to meet her.”
“I am sorry,” said Father. “That is impossible. Your mother is no longer with us.”
“Oh,” said Apple Monster, disappointed.
“I am sorry son,” said Father. “Your mother was a beautiful woman and I know she would have been so proud of you.”
Father told Apple Monster about how Mother introduced him to different kinds of foods. After Mother passed away, he traveled around the world sampling foods from all the countries he could. Apple Monster was very intrigued with the stories his father told him.
“I just want you to be aware that there are other foods to be had besides apples,” said Father. “Promise me you will try some.”
“I will try,” said Apple Monster. “But I happen to enjoy eating apples.”
“Tell you what,” said Father. “Let me take you out for dinner tonight. There is a new restaurant in town and I would love to try it out.”
“Oh,” said Apple Monster. “What if I don’t like the food at the restaurant?”
“That is fine,” said Father. “At least I will know you tried.”
Apple Monster and Father walked the short distance into town. He was a little afraid to go into the restaurant but seeing his father had no fear, he went inside.
“What is the special for today?” Father asked the waitress, once they were seated.
“We have apple pancakes with apple butter,” said the waitress. “We also have apple pie and ice cream for desert.”
Apple Monster was in his glory and he gobbled up the apple pancakes and apple butter. He loved them. He also had two helpings of apple pie and ice cream.
“Well,” said Apple Monster, when they had finished their meal. “I really enjoyed eating here. It was not much different than eating from my apple tree, although, I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed the ice cream that came with the pie. I have never tasted anything so good in my life.”
“I am very proud of you,” said Father.
“We should do this again soon,” said Apple Monster, already wanting another helping of ice cream.
“That would be wonderful,” said Father. “I have so many more foods I would like to introduce you too.”
“I think this might be fun,” said Apple Monster. “And, I get to spend time with my Father. I like this idea.”
“Great,” said Father.
“Happy Father’s Day,” said Apple Monster, when they were walking back to the apple tree.
“Thank you,” said Father, giving Apple Monster a hug.
Father and Apple Monster enjoyed each other’s company very much. Apple Monster was introduced to a whole new world of foods and he was so grateful to his father for showing him this whole other world.
Moral of this Story:
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