High above the Brazilian forest floor a single Jackfruit hung from a large horizontal branch protruding from the tree. Down below a small group of marmosets eyed the bulbous fruit that was too big for any of them to carry.
“How do we get that down?” one of the marmosets asked.
“I don’t know,” another replied. “Usually they just fall to the ground, but that one is really attached.”
While they were thus contemplating, another marmoset picked up a rock and tossed it at the fruit, falling an elephant’s height short.
“Hey,” another commented, “maybe if both of us toss the rock together we could reach the fruit with our combined strength.”
“Good idea,” the rock-thrower replied.
Together the two of them picked up a rock and tossed it upward. Again it missed by a long shot.
“Maybe you need to be higher,” the first suggested.
The marmosets scattered and began gathering sticks and placing them in a pile. The two rock-throwing marmosets climbed to the top of the pile and tossed the rock again. Another pathetic miss.
“I know,” another suggested, “what if we climbed on each others’ shoulders at the top of the pile and then the two rock-throwers could stand on top of us all and toss the rock?”
“Brilliant!” they all chimed and scrambled up the stick pile.
Now closer than ever to their prize the tower of marmosets swayed back and forth on top of the unstable stick pile.
“One, two, three.” The rock throwers once again launched their fist-sized rock which knocked against the giant fruit and bounced off smacking the bottom marmoset in the head. The tower of marmosets toppled, and the massive fruit didn’t move.
“I think we need a bigger rock,” the marmoset with the aching head moaned.
“Or more rocks,” another suggested.
The group of marmosets scattered across the forest floor searching for ammunition.
While they were gone a single coati wandered out from under the brush and looked up at the fruit. He licked his chops, climbed the tree, and gnawed at the stem until the fruit toppled to the ground.
Thinking through problems might take a little more time, but it’s usually worth it.
