Sharon and the Vege Plot - The Novelization

Chapter 3: Obsessive Suspecting

          T'was an interminable series of dreadful days marinated in persistent paranoia based on a harmless hunch: mere speculation. What made this worse was that I knew it was just a theory, but I would rather be struck dead than risk my precious garden should the theory have been true. So for those weeks, I meticulously kept count of every vegetable of every variety in the garden each and every hour, for who knew when or how that fox would strike? 

          It was on a particularly cool and windy day some weeks later when that meaningless hunch of mine imposed upon my mind and compulsed me into tediously checking every nook and cranny of my vegetable plot, in order to make sure it wasn't being pilfered from. This obsessive behavior quickly got the attention of Victoria, but curiously, she refrained from interfering. Nevertheless, I was always at the top of her mind - God bless her. I only wish she was at the top of mine when that cycle of mental turmoil pervaded. 

          "This is so odd," I remarked, very carefully observing a row of my finest carrots. "What's that, darling?" Victoria tried whilst preparing our afternoon tea at the birch table. Now on my knees, I overlooked the sea of greenery beyond me. "I remember having twelve squashes, eighteen tomatoes, and nine celeries," I explained as my knees sank into the grime of the loam. "Oh?" Victoria pondered. "But now, I only have eleven squashes, seventeen tomatoes, and eight celeries." I turned around to look at Tori who was now very seemingly put upon by my obsessive tallying. "I see," said Tori. I could tell by Tori's tone that she was more concerned with my compulsions than the wellbeing of the garden. Feeling somewhat ironically betrayed, I silently scoffed and whipped back around to face the carrots.

          I pretended I wasn't hurt and kept my attention directed at situation at hand. That's when Victoria solemnly walked up behind me and placed a delicate paw on my back before kneeling down into the loam right beside me. This spoke to me, because Victoria was never the type to like getting dirty. I was very touched that Victoria was upset about my mental state - not that I thought anything was remotely wrong with me. "Love, I think it may be time for a quick break from your vege," Victoria suggested. Now remember, botany familiarized itself to the heights of my mind for these few long weeks, so I regarded Tori's suggestion and came to a compromise. "Oh, you're right. The plants out front need watering." Need I tell you this verdict is not what Victoria had intended. Anyway, I quickly got to my feet and started for the northern walkway towards the front of the estate. Victoria, still on her knees, swung her torso around. "Sharon, this is what's been worrying me about you. Don't you think it's about time you settle down?" Continuing down the walkway, I turned my head back to Tori to declare, "The plants need watering, Victoria." There, I left Tori to sit in the dirt. Her plan to seduce me back to a sound state of mind failed. She risked her finest dress for it too.

          The flowers in the front of the estate were blooming beautifully, but I couldn't help but feel alone; not even the springing magnolias were satisfying company. My heart was sinking and I couldn't tell why anymore. The bleak overcast in the sky only soured my spirits more so. I tried absorbing the color of the pastel camellias to my left -- but nothing. I just stood there. Then, I heard footsteps far to my right, on the other side of the gate to the estate. My sinking heart then skipped a beat when I looked over and saw who it was. It was Mr. Redboro. I stealthily tip-toed to the gate to monitor his doings. He approached this massive magnolia tree on the bank of the Great River Grey to stop at the sight of a premature bloomer. I stealthily tip-toed to the gate to monitor his doings. It was this bloomer that Redboro snagged from the tree and placed into the inside pocket of his brown blazer. 

          One strange thing I noticed was that I remembered his blazer having ruffles that protruded out from his sleeves and collar. This time, there were no ruffles. It was the same chocolate-colored coat, only not as flamboyant looking. This made me wonder whether or not Redboro was truly the fox he seemed to the Greenhill community. Was it all a facade? As my mind got itself lost in its own world of paradoxes, Redboro turned right around a slipped away from my sight, down the street. "As God is my witness," I thought to myself, "I will find out what that clever prick is up to by the day's end."

          Back at the sheeted birch table, Victoria was tidying up after tea. As she began stacking the stools atop the table, I grabbed and sported my hare's cap off of my stool. "I'm going out," I asserted. Victoria stopped her cleanup and whipped her head in my direction in bewilderment. Disregarding Victoria's further disgruntlement, I headed back towards the northern walkway for the front yard exit. "Maybe it's best for her." That was the last thing I made out from Tori before I left that evening to pursue Redboro.

          As I speedwalked down the street, I was able to keep up with Redboro who was way in the lead. I kept an eye on him for long enough to see him veer into the community farmers' market. Acknowledging that mostly fellow rabbits occupied the farmers' market, I knew that staking out Redboro the fox shouldn't be too hard.