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The Orange
Winner Year 7/8 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Young Writer Competition
Martin Gray Aged 13 Year 7 Brighton Grammar School
"The Best Meal I Ever Had – The Orange"
There once stood an orange tree in an orchard in Valencia. This particular tree bore only one orange a year, which was considered to be the best in Spain.
He could feel his small body being enlarged by his tree’s forthcoming energy. He longed to be eaten by hungry strangers. The tree had told him of his destiny and the joy of helping others live if he just let them consume him.
The orange marveled at the thought of giving life to others. He pondered this some more when finally he spoke:
“Oh kind and nurturing tree, did you not give life to me?”
“Yes naïve orange, l did give life to you. But tell me, who gave life to me?” he replied.
“A farmer?” the little orange questioned excitedly.
“Yes, a farmer, and his mother to him and l to you and you to another person. You see little orange, l am just part of the chain as are you. So be at peace, for you mustn’t know everything or there will be nothing for you to find out yourself,” the tree counselled.
And so the orange’s life with the tree went on until one day, when he was ripe, the orange felt a warm hand close around him.
“I’m being picked!” the orange cried excitedly. “Farewell my friend,” “Farewell,” the tree replied.
The orange’s life in the outside world had begun.
The brilliance of the sun’s rays warmed his skin as the farmer pushed him into his lonely cart bound for the harbour. As they neared the dock, two sailors came and walked alongside the cart asking the farmer to move faster. When he arrived at the ship, the farmer, tired from pushing the cart at such an extreme pace, let the cart fall to the ground. The precious orange rolled out of the cart and into the sea.
Coco Masamba was a poor child. He lived with his mother in a small village in Tanzania. At the age of twelve Coco suffered from dysentery - a result of malnutrition. He had been told that his death was a matter of weeks away and his birthday seemed out of reach. Coco did not want to die a boy, nor depart from his village without leaving a mark. Because in the village more people were starting to suffer from malnutrition, Coco wanted to save his village from the disease that inflicted him. His mother had promised him the ‘best meal of his life’, before his birthday.
As the orange fell, he could feel his dreams being shattered. Then it suddenly dawned on him, he just wanted to give life and he didn’t care how or when. He cried out to the waves, “Take me to the shores of the country most in need of my flesh.”
So the waves bore him to the shores of Tanzania where he heard the patter of feet coming towards him. The owner of these feet was a plump girl.
“She is not in need of the life I can offer”, thought the orange but nevertheless he let her take him to a village where he saw many hungry people. As the girl ran, she dropped him in some long grass and didn’t bother to look for him.
Many hours passed until a needy woman picked up the orange. She carried him back to her house and cut him up.
“Today we’re celebrating your birthday Coco and here is your present.”
Before the boy sunk his teeth into the orange he whispered hoarsely, “Make me live to thirteen.”
Three days later Coco was initiated as a man and as his last request asked to be brought to the village square. He placed the seeds of the orange in a hole.
Coco died the night after his birthday accomplishing the two goals he had wished for.
The orange seed grew and grew until at last he was a big enough tree to bear fruit. He had told his progeny the gift of life they possessed. One day one of his oranges said:
“Oh magnificent tree was it not you who gave life to us?”
“Yes it was, but think who gave life to me?”
“A boy?” chirped one excitedly.
“Yes and his mother to him and l to you and you to whom ever you choose. So be at peace little ones for you mustn’t know everything or there will be nothing for you to find out yourselves.”
What the Judges said:
Brilliant. Very well written. A great story. I like the hidden meaning of food being life-giving.
Very thoughtful, great concept, well executed.
Wonderful! A saga, a myth, circular and technically really hard – time and parallel voices. A writer.
Excellent attention to style, perfect story construction.