The Gold Story Contest – Honey Eldorado

Honey Eldorado

In a small Italian village at the foot of a dormant volcano lived the Niculetti family whose main occupation was beekeeping.

The family was small father mother and son they lived happily basking in the rays of the warm sun in the aroma of honey and propolis.

Little Lorenzo imitated his father in everything and he liked to help him with his work at the apiary, and if the neighbors' children called him fishing he preferred to go catching swarms of bees that periodically flew away from other people's apiaries.

The years passed, Lorenzo grew up, and his parents completely placed all their hopes on their son, since they themselves could no longer help him with physical labor.

Things were going well and Lrenzo took out a large loan to expand his apiary to an industrial scale, and then but one year, a volcano erupted, covering the entire area with volcanic ash and destroying all the flowering plants.

Following the plants the bees began to die, there was no profit and it was necessary to pay interest on the loan.

Lorenzo went to the banks with a request to give him a five-year deferment with the opportunity to restore the apiary and pay off the loan in the future but he was given a payment period of only three years.

Lorenzo did not know how to save his apiary and his house which was mortgaged for the loan, and silently left the bank.

The mood was terrible, but the smell of coffee from a nearby cafe with tables on the street and rummaging in his pocket and feeling a few lire Lorenzo decided to drink coffee and think about the situation.

The day was sunny but windy and at the moment when Lorenzo decided to bring a cup of hot coffee to his lips a slightly crumpled local newspaper flew onto his table.

Lorenzo wanted to crumple it up and throw it away but something stopped him.

He unfolded the newspaper and saw the headline: Eldorado.

The article told of a gold prospector who found a huge gold bar in America and became a fabulously rich man.

And, in the neighboring headline it was said that in two weeks a ship was leaving the port of Genoa for America and everyone could buy tickets and become colonists of the Wild West.

It was March 1850 several years had passed since the beginning of the gold rush but there were still chances to find something.

Lorenzo lived far from the sea but the sounds of the surf and the noise of the port docks fascinated Lorenzo there was something special about it.

Yes, Lorenzo did not think long and having received a blessing from his parents having collected some funds and belongings went to Genoa where a huge steamship was already under steam ready to set off and sail across the Atlantic.

A person always has to face something for the first time and Lorenzo learned very well about seasickness which accompanied him throughout the journey and he spent most of the journey unconscious in his cabin.

To get off the shore seemed to be the best of blessings and, one day, it happened.

It was late spring when Lorenzo's luggage passed border control at the port and was loaded onto a carriage that was supposed to take him to a small town on the northern border where the real life of gold prospectors began.

The shaking in the carriage seemed child's play compared to the waves of the ocean, and upon arrival Lorenzo felt better.

Two long chests of things in the roadside dust looked more solid than the city itself but no one paid attention to the newcomer who was trying to figure out where to go now.

Then, an old gentleman approached Lorenzo and lifting his bowler hat, introduced himself: Undertaker Stewart! Can I help you with something?

Yes, sir - Lorenzo said in broken English.

Where should I go regarding the deed of sale for a plot of land for prospectors?

The undertaker scratched his ear and said: Sir, before we get to the heart of your matter, may I offer you a discount on the making of a coffin?

Lorenzo looked at old man Stewart in surprise.

A coffin? Why do I need a coffin?

Well, sir, today you can order it with a thirty percent discount, and when you need it, it will be much more expensive - smiled Stuart.

A sequoia coffin is a little more expensive, and a cedar coffin is cheaper ... which one do you want?

Wait, said Lorenzo ... why do I need a coffin?

You see, sir, although this is a gold miner's town, the only thing that thrives here is the funeral home, since the mortality rate is high.

Some people meet Indians or grizzlies on their way, and someone gets a bullet in a saloon.

And it's better not to go into the forest for mushrooms, many did not return from there, they were stung by wild bees, which are abundant here.

Lorenzo swallowed the lump in his throat and, lifting his hat, thanked the old man for his wise advice, but assumed that this deal would not take place, he had other plans for this city.

Oh yes! Stuart did not let up, you can draw up all the papers for the land at the municipality in the morning, but for now, you should wait until the morning.

Lorenzo sat down on his chests and fell asleep peacefully.

In the morning, Lorenzo went to the municipality and, to his surprise, quickly acquired a plot of land and a small hut a few hundred miles north of the city.

When Lorenzo reached his new vineyard, he saw a dilapidated hut that required a lot of work, but luckily the fireplace and chimney were in order.

A few deltas passed and Lorenzo had already begun to wash gold-bearing sand in a nearby stream, but there was very little gold sand.

Having calculated the gold production for the day, Lorenzo realized that at this rate he would have to work for ten years to pay off the loan and resume the work of his apiary in his homeland.

So sad thoughts took hold of him and work ceased to bring joy.

One day, going to the city for provisions, Lorenzo heard screams in the grocer's shop.

People were making noise and complaining that the grocer had not delivered sugar or other sweets for several weeks, to which the grocer announced that there was a sugar cane crop failure in Jamaica, rats had eaten it, and they would have to go without sweets for a whole year.

People were shouting that they were ready to pay any amount of money for sugar, but the grocer just shrugged his shoulders.

And then, something happened!

Lorenzo threw down his bags with provisions and ran to the post office.

So he asked for a piece of paper and a pen and began to draw and write something.

An hour later, he stood at the undertaker's office and knocked on the door.

Old Stuart opened the door and, seeing Lorenzo, smiled.

I knew you would come to me, young man!

Are you going to order a coffin?

Lrenzo nodded affirmatively and handed Stuart a pouch of gold sand.

Oh, that's too much, said Stuart.

A coffin is cheaper!

I need a lot, said Lorenzo.

Stuart looked questioningly at Lorenzo.

A lot of coffins? - the old man asked again.

Yes, a lot!

Have you decided to go to war? - the old man smiled.

Here, Lorenzo handed Stuart a litre of paper with drawings.

Can you handle it?

Come back in a week, said Stuart and closed the door behind him.

A week later, many carts were carrying numerous hives to Lorenzo's plot, which by that time had already caught many swarms of bees in the neighboring forest.

The fame of Lorenzo the Beekeeper spread throughout the entire area and crowds of prospectors stood in line for honey, paying for the weight of honey in gold and for them it was profitable.

Two years later, the doors of the Italian bank opened outward and out came the happy Lorenzo, the magnate beekeeper, who completely paid off the loan and resumed work on the family apiary in his homeland.

And there, across the ocean, Lorenzo's corporation continued to produce sweet gold!

This post is my participation in ✨ Write to Win: The Gold Story Contest – Powered by Musagold.com & Steem ✍🏆 organized by @steem.ofanimals in which I shared my modest knowledge. or acquaintance with a bird of prey - Falco naumanni Fleischer.

I invite my friends @eii @ranartblog @xaviduran to take part.

Zoom in on a photo for a closer view.

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More to come!

Enjoy viewing the photos and reading the article!

Have a blessed day!

Category:	Art, Photography, digital art.
Tools:	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300
Location:	Ukraine
Author:	Author @barski. In my publications you will see only my author's works.

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