Africa Dreams
18August 3, 2013 by petrujviljoen
Friday Fictioneers is a bunch of writers that posts a 100-word flash fiction on a weekly basis. We get the photo prompt on a Wednesday, whenever anybody’s Wednesday may be, and we try and post individual contributions by the Friday, whenever anybody’s Friday may be. Today for me is Saturday so theoretically I’m late. But it may still be Friday somewhere else in the world for all I know.
This creative endeavour is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Go to her site to get to know the how of taking part. This week’s photo-prompt is courtesy Jennifer Pendegrast who holds copyright. All writers hold copyright to their written material.
My research on the topic of the bumble bee was gleaned from the following article:
http://www.farmersweekly.co.za/article.aspx?id=40333&h=SA-should-put-bumblebees-to-flight
I invite constructive criticism.
Fiction.
100 words (as usual).
Africa rubs its black hands gleefully. This is it, my brothers and sisters. This is it! The West consumed itself. It’s up to Africa to feed the world now. The euros and dollars will come streaming into Africa. They will come begging. Why? You ask? Because of the bumblebee, that’s why! You seem amazed? A bee has finished the West? No, my black brothers and sisters, the people finished the bee. With their chemicals. The humble bumblebee can’t pollinate their plants anymore. They’ve come begging already. Yes, we’ll be rich! Africa will rule the world like it did long ago.
petrujviljoen 
Ah, the biter is bit. (Or the stinger stung.) Somebody warn the farmers.
Warn the farmers about whom?
Interesting look a the way the wheels turn. You’re late posting, I’m even later commenting
Replying late. Hardly any internet connection here these days.
Well-written piece.
I hope there is refuge somewhere for our bees. Good job on the story.
The balance of the world is shifting faster now than ever before. We will see new alliances and dominance as we continue through time.
How effective is that opening line! Talk about grabbing attention. Well done.
Well, we all started out in Africa, so it seems appropriate that we would come full circle. Ron
Dear Petru,
It’s the end of a lot of things. This generation has helped sow the seeds of the next generation’s apocalypse. Too bad for us. Good for the cockroaches.
Aloha,
Doug
Good ‘as the wheel turns’ take on the prompt, P. What also interests me is what’s happening at the microscopic level, that’s accelerating what’s happening at the level we can see. Food for thought. (Might be the only sort of food we will be able to produce shortly)! My current art project ‘Below the Line’ is taking ‘invisibilities’ on board a bit.
Interesting! I look forward to looking at the work when you’re ready to post it.
According to the article, it sounds like the importation of bumblebees would do more harm than good to Africa’s crops–best to leave Mother Nature to her own resources. Interesting subject.
Apparently they did this in Tanzania and not much good came of it.
Sounds fair to me although I hope Africa isn’t really going to propagate bees this size, unless they’re friendly! Nicely prophetic piece.
No, according to the article (link posted) it’s a question of habitat. We don’t have, and therefore don’t need the bumblebee for purposes of pollination. But the pesticides/fungicides commercial farmers use are just as harmful and Africa may very well have the same problem soon.
Dear Petru,
An evocative story. I can only hope we can halt the madness before it’s too late.
shalom,
Rochelle
I’ve read that insects are extremely capable of adapting. Humans are too. It’s just that the tide of the disruption to nature has grown so strong that even us and the insects may have a hard time adapting fast enough.