Harvest Exit Plan

Nico spent every childhood summer at his grandparents' orchard doing the same job: picking up fallen fruit. He hated it and never said so. Trudi and Klaus were so pleased to have the help that he told them it was the best part of his year, and they believed him. Years later the two are too old to keep the orchard, so they hand it to Nico, certain it is the kindest thing they have ever done. He thanks them without mentioning that they have just signed over several hectares of childhood trauma, and makes a plan: collect all the fruit, sell it, sell the orchard, never pick up an apple again. The plan holds for about twenty minutes. Somewhere between the first full basket, the first money earned and the first patch of grass with nothing left on it, Nico notices he is enjoying himself. Six gardens later the orchard is finally clear and he could sell it as intended. He does not.