Pineapple?

New Year’s is very festive in downtown Fredericksburg.  There’s lots of people, lots of food, lots of drunks….etc.  At midnight everyone gathers around and they drop a pineapple out of the sky.  It’s not a real pineapple splattering on the sidewalk.  It’s a giant cardboard or paper mache thing that’s lowered during the countdown.

A lot of people don’t know why they lower a pineapple.  It’s to the point that many think it’s stupid.  I don’t think it’s stupid, but I think it’s a bit of a stretch.  Of course, since I’m a journalist I do my research and I know why they drop a pineapple.

It’s because in 1658 a shipload of pineapples, a gift from the people of Hawaii to the king of England, was intercepted by rampaging, savage indians (native Americans) off the coast of Virginia.  Thus commenced the great Virginia Pineapple Wars of 1658-1731.  Victory was declared when the great Indian chief, Chief Pulaleg, surrendered to the British in downtown Fredericksburg around the location that is today’s 816 Caroline Street.

Actually, I made that up.  It has something to do with friendship and hospitality.  At least it’s better than dropping a pear like they used to do.  Ya know, the pear represented those pear trees, that aren’t native to here and that don’t actually produce pears.

Pineapple?

Here’s your rough.

Pineapple? rough