Projectile Watermellon

We bought a watermelon, thinking it would be a nice treat. We carefully selected one that looked ready and sounded hollow. Once home we bleached it, as we do with all of our fruit. Then we set it on the dining room table so we could admire it until we had a chance to eat it.

The next day we were surprised to see bubbles coming out of a small hole in the rind. Where did that hole come from? And what was making the watermelon bubble? Was there a worm inside? Or did the farmer accidentally gouge it somehow? I put a piece of tape over the hole and ignored it for another day. The following afternoon. we noticed that the watermelon was still bubbling despite the tape. I removed the tape but didn't have time to cut up the melon, so we let it sit some more as we went off to another event. Later that night we were sitting in the living room when a significant CLUNK! resonated from the kitchen. My wife arrived just in time to see the watermelon rolling across the floor, bubbling furiously. It had managed to roll itself clean off the table!

That performance finally pushed me to action. My wife dug a large knife out of the kitchen drawer and I plunged it into the watermelon. As soon as the knife plunged through the skin, the watermelon began venting like a deflating hot air balloon. I smelled sweet alcohol. Aha! I should have guessed. I refrained from investigating any further. I picked up the watermelon, which hissed and gurgled in protest, and dragged it downstairs to the garbage pile.

My wife was discouraged that our money had been wasted but I told her that all things considered, I think we got our money's worth. It's not everybody who can say they've built a watermelon rocket!