Pears by Harry & David

   Because I haven't had fresh fruit in a long while and because Harry & David are famed  for their succulent pears, and because I wanted more gifts to open, I ordered a modest sized box of pears from them soon after Christmas. I'd read the customer reviews and noted quite a few negative pear comments, that they were discolored, dry, flavorless and totally without any juice at all. I decided to take a chance and order anyway.
    The pears arrived. I opened the box. I saw 5 pears, one wrapped in gold foil, the others each in their  individual compartments. I feared the worst; the skin of one pear had black areas. All felt hard and dry. Thinking the blackened pear would be the ripest, I tried it first. True to the negative comments, it was pithy, flavorless and without a drop of juice. I sampled one of the better looking ones; it was the same, like styrofoam.
     My instinct was to open the kitchen window and fling them out, to the same fate to which I'd assigned Hand Melon's pithy peaches from the summer before.
But wait--the pears were pricey; maybe I'd contribute a scathing review, as others had done. I scanned the card that was in the box of pears. I read the instructions that said to keep  the pears in the box at room temperature for a day or two before enjoying their deliciousness. I thought that the pears  had little chance of becoming juicy and flavorful, but, being a follower of rules, obediently abided by the advice on the card.
    About a day and a half later, I sampled one of the pears. It was juicy and delicious. As were the remaining pears. Who would have thought.