Dexter and the Waddermellum

On a whim, I bought a small watermelon at the grocery store earlier this week. It was on sale with an additional coupon discount for $3.48, so it seemed like a pretty good deal. I thumped all the watermelons loudly while there, but I had no idea what I was listening for. A low pitch? A high one? A solid sound? An empty, echoing sound?

Alas, I did not notice at the time that the sales clerk charged me TWICE for the watermelon. So it turns out I would have to go and get my money back. Already handled: no biggie! Bought some additional stuff on discount; who doesn't love to shop? But my husband has been teasing me ever since: "Can you tell the difference between ONE and TWO watermelons?"

I put the watermelon in the downstairs bathroom, where it's cooler. And I looked forward to a photo shoot with Dexter and the watermelon (aka waddermellum, in lolspeak), because I thought we'd have lots of fun with it!

However, much to my chagrin, Dexter hated the watermelon. First he shunned it. He strutted past without even acknowledging it! So I followed him, put the watermelon in front of him again. He walked away.

Then he sat on his favorite box. Yes, this is what's left of the water heater box he loved so much! We trimmed it down and he still sits on it constantly. So we leave it be, no matter that the box is too big and ungainly and clogs up the major artery of our household travel.

So my husband took the watermelon and placed it beside him. The result: a quick sniff and then a recoil: "A waddermellum? How COULD you?" A later photo in this set shows an almost sad-faced Dexter, giving me a beseeching look: "Mama, I hate these froots and vegemables. Keep this waddermellum far away from me!" (Husband: "But he's a true carnivore. WHAT DID YOU EXPECT!???")

The song, in honor of the watermelon, is a country classic: Tom T. Hall, with Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine. The story of its making is that Mr. Hall had the experience he wrote about one evening after a music festival appearance in Miami Beach in 1972. The next morning, he wrote the lyrics on an air sickness bag during his flight, walked into an 10 a.m. recording session, and recorded the song on the spot.