Below me, a tree stands entrenched to the eroding shore, with roots that resemble the hair of a hedgehog. Humans say they would rather be hit in the head with a mango than by me as I grow heavy with water. But before I have a chance to fall, when I’m still as green as the Costa Rican mountains around me, a human with spiked shoes climbs my trunk, digging deep and thrusting higher, until he reaches the palm fronds that sway in the breeze. A machete strikes, and I find myself lying amongst scurrying crabs and debris.
Hands throw me onto a rustic truck, and I travel to a fruit stand with plywood tables, tarp curtains that flap in the wind, droning cicadas, and decaying smells of papaya and peppers. As a rooster ambles past, I fly onto a pile of young green coconuts. A sign reads Pipas frias for 500 colones. I’m worth more than a buck.
A woman with a flowing dress approaches my pile. Another man with a machete grabs my neighbor, and I hear four loud thwacks. That’s all it takes to reach the sweet membrane that lies between our outer shell and the nutrient-rich water within us. Will I bleed today, too?
Humans come and go before a hand plucks me from the bunch, and I hear four thwacks. Delicate hands carry me to another vehicle with my white membrane intact. Up the mountain I go, bumping and rolling to a villa overlooking the Pacific. For a moment, seeing the sparkling water makes me feel nostalgic, until a knife slices my membrane.
I’m slurped dry and thrown from the villa.
The next morning, a brown rodent called an agouti chews my clean white flesh until I’m nothing but a husk.
Another day in paradise.
This man has spikes on his boots. And yes, he climbed all the way to the top, swaying on a skinny trunk, barely adhered to the eroding shore.
Mosaic Monday
We always throw our coconuts to the agoutis at Marisol, and you can hear them chewing for hours.
I hope you enjoyed my short story!
I received a heartwarming, starred review from Independent Book Review! Click on the book to read it. Whenever I get kicked in the gut by bad reviews, I’m going to reread this review, over and over, and hopefully persevere. Please take a look!
P.S. Over 100 people entered to win my gift bag at the Tattered Page Book Club event and the winners were announced on Facebook.
Hello Sharon,
Yes, I enjoyed your story, your photos and the agoutis. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post.
Take care, enjoy your day and the week ahead.
I don’t know how those guys can just climb up the trees like that. Gives me the wilies.
Such a clever autobiography! Over here, the vendor actually chops a little spoon right out of the shell and breaks it into halves so we can devour the creamy flesh.
I’m in awe with the tree climbing too. Very athletic. I love coconut.
Thank you for joining the Happy Tuesday Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Happy Tuesday. ♥
Wow beautiful pictures Life of a coconut might end bad being chopped up but they have amazing views. Love the agoutis Never heard of it
Parece interesante. Gracias por la reseña. Lindas fotos. Te mando un beso.
Hello Sharon,
I enjoyed your story and your photos.
All the best, Irma
Yes, I enjoyed reading with a smile about the sweet agoutis.
Thank you for sharing at MosaicMonday ❤️
Thank you for joining the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Wordless Wednesday. ♥
Hello Sharon,
What a nice post about these coconuts.
That must be fantastic to see that these kind of animals enjoy of that food.
Wonderful pictures Sharon!!
Many greetings,
Marco
Yes, I loved your creative story, the photos and the vivid details.
The agoutis made me smile!
Thank you for sharing your post.
Have a lovely Thursday!
I recently heard that among the “Happiest Countries” this year, Costa Rica was one lof them, and it is easy to see why dfrom your photos and commentary. Such a tropical paradise!
I like the perspective of this writing! I wouldn’t be a good tree climber. lol Thank you for linking up.
I always do better with stories that have photos. Those are some big fat coconuts. Back when I still ran, especially in the summer, I drank gallons of coconut water. It quenched thirst faster than anything.
I do leave no trace training and we’re always telling people to not be tossing your apple cores and orange peels off in the woods because those are non-native foods. Tossing the coconut leavings out on the beach is something totally in congruence with leave no trace as far as I can tell.
Costa Rica is so tempting!
Worth a Thousand Words
Another day in paradise for sure!
Cheers – Stewart M – Melbourne
I, like others here, enjoy photos in a post! Yours are great, and I did enjoy the story. I don’t know much about agoutis, so had no idea they liked coconuts!