I had forgotten that there were quite a few of these. They came along fairly regularly for a while. I won’t burden you with all of them, but this was a favourite for many people.
…
One day, God was sitting under the shade of a cool tree, when along came the monkey eating an orange.
Hello God, said the monkey, how are you today?
Fine, said God, who was always fine. That looks good.
It’s an orange, said the monkey, looking like he was pretty sure that was the right answer. I found it.
It’s a fruit, said God.
No, it’s an orange, said the monkey. He took another big juicy bite. See?
It has a seed, said God.
I know, said the monkey, spitting one out looping high into the blue sky. They fly.
God leaned back against the cool of the tree. If you put one in the ground, He said, it will make another orange.
Really?
Yes, said God, who knew everything.
I would like another orange, said the monkey, taking one last big juicy bite and spitting out one last seed high into the air.
You could put it over there, said God, looking over at a particularly nice bit of sun.
I would like another orange here, said the monkey, poking his finger in the dirt.
What are you doing? asked God.
Looking for oranges, said the monkey, and he poked another finger in the dirt. and then again.
You’ll have to wait a while, and God leaned back further into the shade.
The monkey ran back along the path all the way to the top of the hill poking the ground as he went. Maybe over here, said the monkey as he went over the hill and out of sight.
When it had been quiet for a while, God sat up in the shade and stretched. Then He reached high into the tallest branches of the tree and pulled down a beautiful orange. He admired it for a moment. Then leaned forward and rolled the orange down the hill, where it came to rest on the path right where the monkey had been standing.
Then He leaned back in the cool of the shade, closed His eyes.
And God smiled.