Let the Mangoes Rot on the Tree

During the Black Friday sales rush, I was live for eighteen hours a day.
I sold every last mango from Maple Creek.
That night, the town mayor, Mr. Henderson, shoved a payment QR code in my face.
Rachel, he started, a greasy smile on his face, youve been live for over two weeks. You mustve eaten a few hundred pounds of our mangoes.
Theyre selling for over a dollar a pound now. Youve worked so hard for us, so we wont ask for much. How about you just pay us a buck a pound for what you ate?
The other townspeople chimed in, their voices a greedy chorus.
Thats right! Rachel, youre a huge influencer now. You cant be taking advantage of your own people, can you?
I was just stunned.
For two weeks, I had been selling their mangoes for free. I didnt take a single cent in commission.
And now they wanted me to pay for the mangoes I sampled on camera?
A bitter laugh escaped my lips. I scanned the code and sent them three thousand dollars without a word.
Two months later, the second harvest was ripe.
Mayor Henderson found me again. Rachel! You need to go live for a few more days! Sell this new batch for us!
I pulled a contract from my briefcase and slid it across the table.
Mr. Henderson, I have thirty million followers now.
My fee for a single product feature is fifty thousand dollars. Payment upfront.

1
When the final Black Friday livestream ended, my throat was raw.
For fifteen straight days, Id been staring at a screen for eighteen hours, and my teammate Kevin was so exhausted hed fallen asleep right in his chair in the back.
I pulled out my phone and sent everyone on the team a generous bonus, then cleared my tight, aching throat.
You all worked incredibly hard these past two weeks, I rasped.
While every other streamer was cashing in on the holiday traffic, we were here, selling mangoes for our hometown for free. I know you all passed up lucrative partnerships for this, and I wont forget it.
My assistant, Jenna, rubbed her bloodshot eyes.
Rachel, youre the one whos exhausted. The deals you turned down these past two weeks were talking seven figures, easily.
Kevin, now awake, added his own hoarse comment.
Shes right.
You did this for your old neighbors, paying for the equipment rentals and logistics out of your own pocket, without taking a dime in commission.
Youve got a heart of gold, Rachel.
I looked at the mountains of mango crates stacked in the warehouse, a sense of quiet satisfaction settling in my chest. Helping my hometown sell their harvest was worth earning a little less.
Just then, the warehouse door creaked open.
Mayor Henderson walked in, flanked by a dozen other residents of Maple Creek, his face stretched into a wide smile.
He fumbled with his phone and held up a QR code for me to scan.
Rachel, my girl! You must have eaten your fair share of mangoes these past two weeks, eh?
He rubbed his hands together. We wont charge you the full price. Lets just call it a dollar a pound.
My uncle, Jack, spoke up from the back. She mustve gone through at least two thousand pounds! Thats two thousand dollars right there!
I stood frozen, the words not quite registering.
Jenna shot to her feet. Sampling the product is to show the quality! Every streamer does it! How else would anyone buy them?
She gestured wildly at the warehouse packed with crates. Rachel just sold out your entire towns harvest! At market price, youve all made over six hundred thousand dollars. She didnt take a penny, and youre coming after her for a few hundred bucks for samples?
We paid for the equipment and shipping ourselves! That was over ten thousand dollars right there, and we never asked you for a thing!
The townspeople exchanged uneasy glances. Some of them looked down at their feet.
But Uncle Jack just stuck his chin out. Business is business. Even family has to settle accounts. She has to pay for what she ate!
Jennas eyes welled up with furious tears. Do you have any idea how many corporate sponsorships Rachel turned down for you? One of those deals alone could have bought every mango in this town!
The young womans raw anger silenced the room, but only for a moment.
Mayor Hendersons shifty eyes darted around before he cleared his throat.
Now, Rachel, we all know you worked hard. The whole town is grateful.
But these mangoes we wake up before the sun to grow them. This harvest is all we have to live on for the whole year.
He pointed to the people behind him. Look at your uncle Jack. His sons college tuition is due. And Mrs. Gables husband is sick. Were not like you, making a fortune with every livestream.
Uncle Jack added his own two cents. Two thousand dollars is a fancy dinner for you. For us, its six months of groceries.
The mayor pushed the phone closer to my face.
Youre a big-shot influencer. Youre not going to nickel-and-dime your own people over this, are you?

2
That line seemed to straighten their spines. The murmurs started again, louder this time.
Exactly! The donations you get in your streams are insane. Youre telling us you cant spare two grand?
Growing these things is back-breaking work! You just talk into a camera and get rich. You owe us a piece of that!
Mrs. Gable started dabbing at her eyes. I cant even afford my husbands medicine. You cant just eat our mangoes for free.
I couldnt believe what I was hearing.
Mrs. Gable, you cant afford his medicine? I asked, my voice dangerously calm.
Every year before this, your mangoes would rot on the branch. This year, your family alone sold eight thousand pounds.
At the current price, thats at least eight thousand dollars in your pocket. How can you not afford medicine?
She froze, her eyes darting away, unable to meet my gaze.
Uncle Jack quickly jumped in. Thats a separate issue! Were talking about you eating our mangoes for free!
Looking at his self-righteous face, I felt a sudden, sharp sense of absurdity.
For two weeks, I had survived on three or four hours of sleep a night, my voice so raw I could barely speak, yet I kept pushing through the streams. My team was right there with me, eating cold sandwiches and sleeping on army cots. And for what?
So these people could have a better life.
And now?
The moment the money hit their accounts, they were here, demanding I pay for the samples.
I looked down at my own chapped lips and suddenly felt like the past two weeks had been a complete waste of time.
Seeing my silence, Uncle Jack pointed a finger at my face.
Have you forgotten where you came from, Rachel Miller? Your parents were dirt poor! If this town hadn't pooled its money to send you to college, where would you be today?
You used to come to my house for dinner every single day when you were in school! And now youre arguing with us over a few bucks?
Thats right! We treated you better than our own daughter! You cant be so heartless!
A few of the older folks started nodding and muttering. We never shouldve helped her get an education. Just raised an ungrateful viper.
Their words were like lashes, dredging up every small kindness from my childhood and using it to whip me.
I took a deep breath, fighting to keep my voice steady.
Youre right, Uncle Jack. I did used to eat at your house.
But do you remember? I always had to wait until your dog, Rusty, had finished eating before I was allowed to get the bowl you saved for me by the stove.
Sometimes I could see scraps of meat in Rustys bowl. Mine just had watery, sour porridge.
Mrs. Gable tried to interrupt, but I held up a hand.
And about the tuition money you might have forgotten.
But I remember my father, on his knees in your living room, signing a loan agreement that used our house as collateral. You only agreed to lend him the two hundred dollars after he promised you a thirty percent interest rate. Im sure the town hall still has the record somewhere.
Jenna, her eyes blazing, stepped in front of me like a protective lioness.
The first thing Rachel did after she got a job was pay everyone back! She worked a day job and streamed at night, saving every penny. She paid back the principal and the interest! she yelled. In fact, she gave every family an extra hundred dollars on top, and you, Uncle Jack, you complained that the interest was calculated wrong and should have been more!
She pulled out her phone, scrolling through photos. And what about the ten thousand dollars she donated to pave the town road? Or the five thousand for the school? Do you want us to pull out the receipts for all of that, too?
The townspeople looked at each other, and a few started to back away.
Uncle Jacks face went from red to white, his mouth hanging open.
Just then, the mayors daughter, Eva, pushed through the crowd with a few other young people.
She crossed her arms, looking me up and down with a condescending smirk.
Rachel, darling, dragging up the past is just tacky. Helping you back then was a favor. Isn't it only right for you to pay it back to the community now?
Besides, you were the one who promised to sell all the mangoes for free. You cant go back on your word.
The kids behind her nodded in agreement.
Evas gaze drifted to the crates of mangoes, and she sighed dramatically.
We know youre not short on cash. And youre always talking on your streams about creating ethical standards for helping farmers. You cant be the one to break the rules, can you?
You ate so many mangoes during the stream. You cant just let that slide.
She gently pushed the QR code closer to me again, her voice soft but laced with steel.
Two thousand dollars is just one less designer bag for you. But for these people, its a year of hard work.
A young man with bleached hair behind her chimed in.
If your fans found out you were getting free food and handouts from your poor hometown, you might lose a few followers, huh?
Were all recording this, by the way. So, Rachel, whats it going to be?
Instantly, several of them raised their phones, pointing the cameras at me. If we dont get the money today, this is going straight online!
Uncle Jack shoved Jenna aside, his face contorted with rage. If you dont pay up today, none of you are walking out of Maple Creek!
The warehouse erupted into a chaotic scene, the townspeople swarming around me, hands outstretched, demanding their money.

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