AUNT GIA:
Please read about the Korean history and our family connection to the yellow watermelon as Uncle Francis writes.

UNCLE FRANCIS:
I bought a yellow watermelon at Trader Joes today. I hope Junobi is here to taste it. There is a long story behind it.

Yellow watermelon was created by a young Korean grad. student, Mr. Wu, Jang-Choon, at the Agricultural College, Kyoto Imperial University, where your grandpa was. It’s the world first creation of the yellow watermelon.

Unfortunately, his dad assisted Japanese to assassinate Empress Lee (the last surviving member of the King Lee dynasty.) Hence, his dad was regarded as an archenemy of Korea.

Nevertheless, Mr. Wu, who could not speak Korean, returned to Korea just before the Korean War and was taking refuge as all of our family did. During our stay in Korea, he would come everyday at our refugee place in Busan to talk with Auntie Bernadette, as no one except your auntie wanted or was proficient in Japanese.

Later he was recognized by the Korean government as one of the most distinguished scientists. Now, it is remarkable to see the yellow watermelon selling at Trader Joes in USA. Ask auntie Bernadette about Dr. Wu in more detail.

AUNT TAMAYE (BERNADETTE):
Regarding yellow watermelon here is an episode that may interest you.

Father Morris visited our house in Kyoto carrying a big watermelon with a big smile, “Surprise, see what I brought, a yellow watermelon!”

When opened it up after he has left, the melon was just ordinary red.

What makes this tale memorable is not our disappointment, but my sister, Teresa’s inspired comment, to quote: if a man who talks to god directly can’t even tell the color of watermelon, may be there is no God. Ever since, I turned into an agnostic.

COUSIN ALEX:
Is it supposed to be yellow inside?

ME:
Trader Joes caries odd things seasonally via their Fearless Flyer program. Looks like it is yellow on the inside and green on the outside, not the reverse like Mom mentioned. The only possible explanation for the story below would be due to a genetic mutation that Dr. Wu must have isolated.

In any case, it occurs to me it might be a good joke to pull on people since it should look like a normal watermelon until you cut it open.

COUSIN ALEX:
Whoa, that would make people weirded out.

UNCLE FRANCIS:
Trader Joe’s “Yellow” watermelon turned out to be a bloody red watermelon.

Shame on the Trader Joes!

COUSIN ALEX:
Get your money back!! At least the priest in Japan gave you a fake one for free.

AUNT GIA:
Oh, terrible! No more trust in Trader Joe’s standards. I say complain! Doesn’t yellow ones cost more than the regular watermelon?

COUSIN ALEX:
I did not expect a story about a Trader Joes watermelon to turn into one about an assassination of the last Korean empress. That was a good story.