The Chubby Banana

The world was yellow. When I stepped off the plane –
The bright blazing sun beamed the tarmac and I was for some moments blinded.

A native child welcomed me.
She handed me a leaf’d crown, a banana and leant up to kiss my cheek.

That evening I slept.
In the morning I woke to a dazzling array of tropical bird song and aromas of 
Nicaraguan coffee, melons and mango, fried yummy banana . . . . and the warm 
sea –

I took a dip. Naked.
Something swam with me. Below me. Near me. Even, I think, right above me.

It began to rain bananas –
Astounding yes, indeed, but it hurt. One hit me on the back as I tried to swim 
away and one hit me on the head.
They fell into the turquoise sea like rain drops .  .  .
I ducked under and dove beneath the yellow hail –
Swimming beneath a sea of yellow bananas that pelted my waves.
I thought that I would never eat another banana again if I could only stay alive.
Then I thought that perhaps it was good to rain bananas.
If that was so, sharks might wish to feast on the plethora of floating raining 
bananas and not on a chubby limb that I use to swim –

I swam naked toward a dock, whilst being pelted still on my back and legs.
I finally reached the dock. 
The native child was there.

Where is your crown, she asked.
I threw it away.
Why.
I don’t wear crowns, I told her. And I don’t eat bananas –

Copyright © Juston Barrett | Year Posted 2006

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