I searched for the Perfect Pumpkin for a long time.
The start of this epic adventure was some years back at a roadside stand in Luzerne County. There was a pile of pumpkins to pick and choose from, so I did, after much looking and observing the various pumpkins from different angles. None was perfect so I had to settle for second class, at least in my view.
Anyway, the search for the grand and beautiful Perfect Pumpkin continued annually after that. Around the end of September, I went out on an expedition to explore the fruits of the season. High on the list of things to examine was the pile of pumpkins found here and there. I was always looking, always thump-thumping likely candidates for the coveted Perfect Pumpkin designation.
Over time I got married and eventually two sons came along. I quickly took them under my wing thereby insuring they would become heirs to my pumpkin chasing expertise, a deep talent gained over the years. We would approach a likely pile of candidates, examining them casually, later hefting a few for the feel. Those chosen would be placed casually aside so as not to stir the interest of other searchers. Having, after a bit, narrowed the field as it were, we picked through likely candidates considering each, doing the thump-thump thing, until we determined a victor, not a complete victor mind you, then it was off to the carving table.
Truth be told all that was unnecessary. Looking back, I realized that I found the Perfect Pumpkin many years ago, the first time I went out really, and have each year since. The Perfect Pumpkin, I decided, was the one I took home. It became the trophy of the season for the memories it helped create.
