When Appearances Are Deceiving: My Rotten Pumpkin Experience

Yesterday, I went to Target with a simple mission: grab some specialized batteries. But with Halloween around the corner and no pumpkin outside our house yet, I thought, “Why not pick up a pumpkin while I’m here?” So, I headed over to the giant bin of pumpkins. It was a huge box, sitting on a pallet, and naturally, by mid-October, it was looking a little depleted. But I spotted one that seemed perfect. It had a nice, long stem, smooth skin, and a classic pumpkin shape. I thought I’d found the one!

I reached into the bin, stretching as far as I could to get a grip on it. Just as my hands closed around the stem, I realized my mistake. My hand went into the  pumpkin—squishy and far too delicate. My fingers had gone right into a rotten pumpkin! I yanked my hands back, horrified, and couldn’t help but think of the old proverb: “A fair face may hide a foul heart.”

I’d fallen into the classic trap of judging a book by its cover, and as a result, I ended up almost gagging right there in Target. Lesson learned: sometimes, it’s worth giving things a closer look before diving in—especially with pumpkins!

After that unpleasant surprise, I’m not sure if the Buswell house will be displaying a pumpkin this Halloween. But I think I’m okay with that. Sometimes, the best decorations are the ones you don’t have to touch!