No one tended the vegetable stand hidden in the hills. There was an open box where one could put coins and bills to pay for the vegetables all marked with prices. Customers made their own change from what was in the box.
Some took vegetables without paying. Some took some (and sometimes all) of the money in the box. Others put more money in the box than they were asked to. Others in repentance returned money or something as exchange for what they shouldn’t have taken.
At the end of the season enough remained to make the next year possible.
______
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields offers the photo below as the prompt for this week’s Friday Fictioneers.
Poetry, Short Prose and Walking 
An ebb and flow of honesty
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Thank you, Neil!
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Sounds like a pretty fair and relaxed way to go about business.
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The owners of that vegetable stand are relaxed enough to give it all away or receive blessings in return. Thank you, Iain
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For the needy, it must be a blessing to be able to have someone
share with them. I’m sure when times get better for them they
reciprocate. A nicely unfolded tale, Frank.
Isadora 😎
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It is a tale of people blessing each other by their honesty. Thank you, Isadora!
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What a great example of fairness and generosity. It all works out according to God’s purposes.
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Yes. It all works out according to God’s purposes. Thank you, Michael!
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Ideally it’s a really good idea. I wouldn’t ever try it in practice though. Real people make it too hard to count on its working out
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One almost has to be willing to donate most of the harvest except what one eats oneself for it to work.
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Today I nearly forgot to pay for my coffee. Until I saw a agitated lady agonising as to how much a leave on an unattended counter for her coffee. Life has its strange side.
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One always come back to pay later if one forgets. Thank you, Michael!
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Very well done, Frank.
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Thank you, Dan!
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The story of humanity in one hundred words. Nicely done, Frank.
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Thank you, Bill!
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In theory it’s beautiful. In the peach blossom village it might work.
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There are people who actually do things like this such as those tiny free libraries holding books where you are invited to take one and return it later or leave another. In rural areas I’ve seen such farm stands along country roads.
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Yes, I’ve seen the free libraries and roadside stands also. Bright spots in a dark world.
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Do people still do this? I remember these being on the side of the road when I was a kid. The honour system fascinated me. I leave boxes of lemons on my lawn, maybe I should leave a money box. Missed opportunity? 😀
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I have seen them on the side of rural roads which is what the photo reminded me of. I am glad to hear that you have seen this also.
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Whenever I walked past a flower/vegetable/herb stand, I often thought about the scenario of donation/payment. You wrote it out. It was a very good read.
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I have seen farm stands like this which is what the photo reminded me of. Thank you, Cassa!
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Dear Frank,
Recently a friend and I stopped into a little Amish store in Missouri. There was a box with cash and a sign. Same honorary system. I wondered how it worked for them. It’s nice to think there are some decent people left in the world. Loved your story construction.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I have seen such roadside stands in rural areas. The picture reminded me of them. Thank you, Rochelle!
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Aww. I love this. What a perfect ending. ❤
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They will be back next year. Thank you, Shawna!
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A good example of honesty and fairness.
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Thank you, Eugenia!
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Most welcome, Frank!
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in my travels, i’ve seen unattended stands that allow buyers to help themselves and pay accordingly. I find them heartwarming at best and testimony to the trust that we do the right thing.
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I loved this story and the message – I have imagined this kind of a world time and again.
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It can happen. Thank you, Pragalbha!
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As long as it all balances out, I guess. Good to know that people still have somewhat of a conscience.
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I imagine much of this produce was surplus and it was a way to give it away as much as possible without people thinking they were given gifts. Thank you!
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The way of the world, I guess. And not always does it even itself out.
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I see such stands as not so much a way to make money as a way to share surplus vegetables. Thank you, Sandra!
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There are quite a few honesty boxes around here, only yesterday I slightly overpaid for 6 eggs!
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They do seem to be an interesting way to interact with one’s neighbors and even strangers passing by. I like the name you called them: “honesty boxes”. Thank you, Keith!
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I guess the one consistency is we’re inconsistent enough to make it work.
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Thank you!
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Love how it worked out in the end
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It did. Thank you, Jim!
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YW!
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I like the exploration of trust. Can we trust other people? Can we even trust ourselves with becoming racked with guilt. Good one.
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Oh, I like this! They had enough at the end of the season. Very nice story!!
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There were no worries. They would have enough. Thank you, Brenda!
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A nice story about vegetables, but really a very insightful story about people and the motivations that drive them. Very thought-provoking.
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Thank you, Margaret. Those honesty boxes give people a chance to show their characters.
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Ah, trust and self regulation! What it brings our in people. The genuinely honest and those not. Nicely done!
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Those honesty boxes bring out our characters by giving us the opportunity not to be honest. Thank you, Laurie!
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