A Tale of Two Watermelons: Supporting Friends

It’s a tale of two watermelons, but not quite in the way you would expect. 

I’m friends with a couple who retired a few years ago. Formerly my neighbors, they moved about 30 minutes away upon retirement. I’ll call her “T” and him “C.”

Before retiring, these two were always hustling. They had their primary jobs; he worked for UPS, and she worked for the State, but they both always had some separate side hustle. I think C even has a patent or two. They were also busy raising two children but never too busy to stop by and talk to a neighbor.

To no one’s surprise, T and C couldn't resist a side hustle even in retirement. With C's lifelong passion for gardening, they opened a “Fresh Market,” selling their homegrown vegetables and watermelons, which they haul from Sugartown, LA.

The point of this story lies not in the size or deliciousness of the watermelons I bought from T and C this week. (The twenty-six and thirty-pound watermelons were heavy enough to nearly herniate sixty-seven discs when I removed them from my vehicle.) It was my choice to support friends over convenience. Passing the five other watermelon stands on my way to their house, I understood that supporting T and C was more than buying fruit.

It was a simple and small gesture of admiration and friendship.

These two hard-working individuals inspire me. I love seeing people happy and living their best lives.

Cheers to the hustlers!