Watermelon Fruit Revealed at Last

Bill Lynch's yellow watermelon has caused quite a stir in Port St. Joe.

Since The Star featured the unusually-hued melon in its July 24 edition, Lynch, 82, has been unable to maintain a quiet existence.

"There's been more questions. I bet you there's been a least 25 people asking about it," he said.

Lynch grew the watermelon in his three-acre Highland View garden patch.

Though he had not yet sliced it open at the time of the July 24 article, he predicted that the fruit would be red, the same as that of the green watermelons that grew around it.

The tease proved too much for some of The Star's readers. They tracked down Lynch on the street and in the grocery store to ask a single, burning question.

"Everybody has asked, ‘What color is it going to be on the inside?'" said Lynch.

Putting an end to the suspense, Lynch delivered a bisected slice of the watermelon to The Star office last Tuesday.

He carefully peeled back its plastic Piggy Wiggly bag wrapper, revealing bright red fruit and unmistakable black and white watermelon seeds.

Lynch will plant the seeds next year. He hopes to welcome another yellow watermelon into his backyard patch.

In slicing open the melon, Lynch put to rest one nasty rumor that has been making the rounds since his watermelon made its front-page debut.

"I had somebody say, ‘That's just a big old cantaloupe,'" said Lynch.

But revenge, like watermelon, is a dish best served cold.
Lynch hopes his unique watermelon's triumphant return to the pages of The Star will silence any critics.