Inspired by
Harper Lee's "Go Set A Watchman" and
"Miss Potter", the movie.
After watching "Miss Potter", the lovely movie about Beatrix Potter, author and illustrator to some of my most cherished childhood stories, I was dreaming of bunnies! I also had the opportunity to read "Go Set A Watchman" by Harper Lee around the same time I watched the movie and my mind molded the two into a southern inspired short story about bunnies. I hope you enjoy reading the short story just as much as I enjoyed writing it!
A Rabbit's Raspberry Dinner Rendezvous
Just as always, I walk down this unmarked path. I reckon it is I only who knows it exist for I have never seen any a-roaming these parts. To the pond for a picnic I’m going, always meant to see what it was up to; hearing the trickling sounds of the water and all from my bedroom window made me quite curious. My basket is full alright; roasted mushrooms and oh do they smell well cooked. Surprised myself I’ll tell you! Ripe small tomatoes bite size they are, and I even have some salted almond cakes. I bet you ain’t even know what salted almond cakes are do you? Frankly I haven’t a clue either. A new recipe I tried. I tasted them though, turned out alright I guess. Bread and butter…you got to have your bread and butter. Oh and I do have some steamed Brussels sprouts, who don’t love them some Brussels sprouts? To drink, I have my tea of course. Not sure my tea candles will hold up, I should have brought more than two now that I come to think of it. A white tea will brew; it is all I want to think of at this moment actually.
My oh my, doesn’t the earth smell so fresh and sweet. I could eat it if I didn’t know any better. When I walk the dirt hops into my sandals…naw I don’t mind, feels cool and soothes my feet. Bother, I wish I would have just come barefoot. Well, I only have two hands and they both are full holding this here basket with all my treats so I guess shod my feet shall remain.
The sun pierces sharply through the foliage doesn’t it? There’s no wonder, that although sparse, it is sufficient; for the bushes, flowers and trees are alive so! Oh look at there, a raspberry bush. My adventures to the pond for a picnic just a week prior didn’t afford me the opportunity to see this beauty. My my, the scent caught me before I even got up to it. Some are ready, some aren’t ripe. I hear the water in a distance… well, I bets be on my way. Now what is this at my feet?
Has the feather cloth hanging over my basket escaped again? Oh no, everything’s in order. It’s just a rabbit, cute little white one at that! How nice, he must not be too far from birth such a little thing he is. Look how he stands on the bark and grabs at the grooves for stability. I wonder if he can sense how cute I believe him truly to be. How fascinated I am with the little separations in his feet. Oh, you would like a raspberry is that right? Well, let me see here…no, this one ain’t ripe, too white… no, this one is not quite ready…Oh, would you look at that! This little raspberry here is about as perfect as perfect raspberries get. The juice is scarlet on my hands as I pull the delicacy away from its home. Here you are; I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy this treat.
And oh yes you are, your nibble proves that much! So interesting how ‘round and ‘round that raspberry goes. It don’t even look like he is chewing it. ‘Round and ‘round it goes until it loses its raspberry shape and what’s left is only the evidence. What a funny evidence it is painted there on his white coat! Well hi there, I hardly saw you come over; and you, you and you. Why yes, you two also. Six rabbits at my feet. I suppose you all would like to make the same order? Raspberry dinner it is then! Now, let me spread my feather cloth on this here ground I wouldn’t want to ruin a perfectly clean dress, you know I washed and ironed it yesterday. It’s still holding up.
Excuse me...there we are, I don’t want to cover you now…a little this way please…yes, now perfect. Now where were we? How about I grab a handful of these raspberries here and just put them right on down atop the feather cloth. All this eating and carrying on has made me hungry. I make my spread. These here rabbits aren’t the least bit interested in my mushrooms, but these Brussels sprouts win them over. I’ll take one and share the rest, just one, it is really the mushrooms that I enjoy greatly. Oh, you are intrigued are you with the sound of my pouring tea? I hope it brings you all as much peace as it brings me. Silly me, I forgot to mention, in my basket I also have a copy of The Tale of The Flopsy Bunnies by Beatrix Potter. Now, isn’t that a coincidence, a mighty pleasant coincidence indeed!
I sip…I cross my legs and lean my back against the bark. Turning to page one… “It is said that the effect of eating too much lettuce is ‘soporific’…” I look up at the rabbits. Good thing we are having raspberries for dinner. One of these here days I will make it to the pond for a picnic. Until then, a rabbit’s raspberry dinner rendezvous will just have to do.
Tea End
Thank you for reading "A Rabbit's Raspberry Dinner Rendezvous"!
Hopefully you will have the opportunity to read the book and watch the film that inspired this short story! (Miss Potter, "Go Set A Watchman" by Harper Lee.)
What inspires you to write?