The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl

In Mrs. Malleson’s ninth grade English class, I had to read an American fiction novel. I chose Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. The basic premise of the book was that reading books to develop critical thinking is bad, and should be outlawed. Therefore, books were burned at a temperature of 451 degrees Fahrenheit. Because the book was written in 1953, it was supposed to remind the world of the “book-burning” that took place under Nazi, Germany, and how censorship is a thought-destroying force.

I quickly read the book, and forgot most of what I had read, as all good ninth graders would do. In fact, I’m surprised I even remember the theme of the book, much less pertinent details.

And then I remembered.

I guess I was a junior in college when I remembered Bradbury. Perhaps it was because, as liberal arts major, I began to see how literature and the arts enabled one to think critically. To form one’s own informed opinions and thoughts.

Or perhaps it was just because I happened to see a copy of his book in the college library, and gave no thought whatsoever to the education I was receiving.

Frankly I have no I idea why I picked it up.

But I did.

I picked up another book by Bradbury, only this time it was a compilation of short stories. One of those stories was entitled, “The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl.”

It is a story about a man who committed a murder, and then tried to cover it up. The more evidence he destroyed (wiping away finger prints, etc.), the more it made him the prime suspect, until finally, when all the fingerprints were removed, he was caught.

I haven’t thought about this short story in quite some time. Until this past week. And it was the title of the story that I remembered.

You see, it has been a LONG bowl season. And it’s not over yet. In fact, although all the BCS games except the National Championship Game has been played, there is still one non-BCS game to be played.

But as of Thursday evening, around midnight, after Oklahoma and Florida have finally run the clock out, we will have reached “the fruit at the bottom of the bowl.”

Oh, sure…I enjoyed several of the other bowl games. I enjoyed seeing Vanderbilt win their first bowl game since the mid 1950’s. I enjoyed seeing an Ole Miss team go to Texas and beat the high octane Raiders of Texas Tech. And I REALLY enjoyed seeing the Utes of Salt Lake City pour it on the Crimson Tide.

But I’m also tired. Tired of a ballgame every night. A ballgame that screams out to me, “Watch Me…..Watch Me…..”, and find in my weakness I comply.

Even though Auburn wasn't even playing in one of them, though it seems everyone else was, I would comply.

And now, I’m tired of not getting enough sleep. I’m tired of the bowl season, and I’m ready for it to be over. I’m so bowl saturated with bowls, that I really don’t care who wins the national championship. It's not going to be Auburn, so what does it matter.

Frankly, I’m just glad that we’ve finally reached the fruit at the bottom of the bowl.

WJLaneSR.