Pineapple on Canvas: The Odd Adventures of a Toy in the City

Epilogue: The one about the Kiwi Bow tie

     “Is that what I think it is?” whispered Maher, as they sat together in a strange room watching the Hudson River flow by.

     “Shhh, it is,” replied Ella. “He is very proud of it.”

     “But you know and he knows what it is, right?”

     “One hundred percent aware.”

     “But why?”

     “Oh trust me, I tried to talk him out of it. I even had Kitty try to take him shopping but he insisted on making it.”

     “Okay, but let’s just get this straight. The pineapple took a kiwi, sliced it and dried it and make it into a bow tie.”

     “Yes.”

     “Isn’t that fruticide?”

     “I don’t know. I mean, I don’t think so. He eats them all the time, right?”

     “I suppose,” replied Maher with a smile. “Also, why did he tie it around his leaves?”

     “I told him to put it on and he watched Sir’Duke put on one so I figured he understood how to do it. . ..”

     “I can just imagine his computer programming. . .sees bowtie on neck. . .places it on leaves. He really is OLFS.”

     “Our little fruit show,” Ella said softly.

     “And we wouldn’t want him any other way.”

     Ella and Maher shared a quick laugh as they reminisced fondly on all the memories that they had shared over the past few years, and in particular those with the little pineapple.

     “Well, shall we go ahead and get this party started?” asked Maher.

     “Yes, please!”

     “I can’t wait for this,” said Maher softly, kissing Ella gently on her forehead.

     “Me too,” she replied.

     “See you out there?”

     “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

     With that, Maher waved to the toys on the bed and headed out into the crowd. A few minutes later and after a kiss to each toy, Ella headed out as well.

     The little pineapple sat proudly with his friends wearing the multi-colored suit Kitty had picked out for him and the bowtie around his leaves.  Though they couldn’t join the party downstairs, S.K. had made sure they all had the perfect vantage point.

     Across the room, Hawaiian Bear sat on Maple’s lap gazing fondly at Papple.

     “Tell me again that story about Papple and the evil Bully Dick, please, Maple!” said H.B. He loved to hear all the stories he could about his hero, Papple. After all, Papple had not only taught him the Pineapple Shake, which could make Eshal laugh no matter what sort of day she had had, but he also taught him how to use the subway, how to be a Very Good Listener, personal space distances, and a bunch of other useful tricks to make life easier for Eshal and to be her Very Best Friend.

     Papple looked down at the seats on the Big Screen, a display of the rooftop being fed to the television via the flying video cameras that S.K. had set up on a device she had made that she had ironically named “drone.” The name had come after S.K., very excitedly had explained, in great scientific detail, the device she had just created. Kitty, rather bored, offhand remarked, “You should call it a drone, because you drone on and on about it,” and somehow that name just stuck.

     The toys all gathered on the bed, all decked in their finest outfits, and looked at the events unfolding on the Big Screen. They saw Maher, looking handsome in a fitted suit, standing at the front wearing a custom made Hermes tie that had little animals and fruit printed all over it. In particular, it had a pineapple with crazy hair, a panda bear, a seal, two kittens, a platypus and a brown bear with a questionably proportioned head.

     Papple anxiously crept to the edge of the bed and scanned the Big Screen for Ella but did not see her. Suddenly, Kitty tapped excitedly at his arm and Papple saw his most beautiful Ella walking down the path between the chairs in a beautiful white gown.

     Tears formed at the corner of his eyes, and his heart welled up with pride. Before they said their vows, Ella and Maher both looked up at the drone and winked. Papple couldn’t wait for the next phase to begin. Who knows, maybe Ella and Maher would be in need of a babysitter in the future and who better than Papple the yellow pineapple?

     And that ladies and gentleman is the story of one little pineapple’s big adventures in the Big Apple!