My love for cantaloupe started when I was a lad. I really began to appreciate the luscious melon about ten years ago. It was a blisteringly hot July morning, when me, my stepdad, and a couple of his friends went deep sea fishing 80 miles off the coast of South Carolina. At the time, I was being a good lad and not drinking any alcohol; in fact, I had bought a twelve pack of sodas to take with us before we left.

After a three and a half hour boat ride, we arrived on the fishing grounds in the Gulf Stream. I had been deep sea fishing before, but this was an all day gig. I baited my hook with the slimmest squid parts I could find and as soon as the weights hit bottom, I had two Red Snappers yanking on the rod and reel. I battled it out with Red Snapper, Grouper, Trigger fish, and Amber jacks until I tired.

The drunks got drunker, and I got dehydrated in the afternoon sun. I went into the galley of the boat, where the drinks were being cooled, and found nothing but case after case of Bud Light, an American Beer. I went back outside to find one drunk pulling in an Amber Jack and two others puking over the side.

After a minute or two of looking around aimlessly on a boat that I was not familiar with, I asked the Captain and first mate if they knew where the sodas were. They were both clueless. The first mate offered me his last soda, but I declined even though I was extremely parched.

So, I went and knocked back a beer and laid down on the small couch in the galley. That was a major mistake. It didn’t take long for the rolling waves in my stomach to match the five foot waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

I went back outside and joined the drunks vomiting over the side. The first mate checked on me yet again. I managed to get together enough energy to fish some more while we trolled with live bait. I managed to snag myself a lovely amberjack that weighed in at around 25lbs. Not long after I caught it and another bloke caught an even larger one, and we started the long journey home.

All of the drunks decided to go lay down, so I stayed on deck with the first mate. I was so dehydrated and exhausted by this point that I could barely talk or keep my eyes open. He went to a cooler that was concealed by seats and pulled out a huge cantaloupe. He cleaned his fish knife off in the salty Atlantic and whacked it in half. Then, he preceded to hand me half of it. I kindly whispered a thank you but I’m fine remark, but he gave it to me anyway. I kindly thanked him and ate every bit of that melon without one utensil.

Every time I eat a cantaloupe, I think of that day. I might have fell over dead in a few more minutes, if he hadn’t of demanded that I take the half. It is a marvelous fruit of nature that holds so many nutrients. It is my favourite food in the summer time. It captures my imagination with its knotted ropes over a lush green surface rind. Well, everything captures my imagination.

What say you? Do you dig Cantaloupe? What is your favourite summer fruit or vegetable?