The topic of judging the ripeness of watermelons came up at our offi ce following last week’s Susan Says column in which she stressed the importance of staying hydrated during the hot summer months and mentioned watermelons as a good source of fl uid.

She wrote: “Watermelon is in season in August and September and provides a good way to get your fl uid. Juicy, sweet and superhydrating, the watermelon is loaded with vitamins A and C and the antioxidant lycopene, and it’s 92 percent water! Pick one that’s heavy for its size and has a creamy yellow spot on the underside, a sign that it ripened in the fi eld. Eat it plain or try melon cubes tossed with cheese cubes and mint for a delicious snack.”

But, just how do you tell if a watermelon is ripe? People seem to have a variety of methods - some based on appearance and feel and others based on how the melon sounds when thumped. Even in an office of four, we apparently have some differences of opinion.

According to the Internet site, whataboutwatermelon.com - and what better and more authoritative site could one choose for an answer? - Susan is right when she wrote: “Pick one that’s heavy for its size andhas a creamy yellow spot on the underside, a sign that it ripened in the fi eld.”

But the site also mentions picking a melon that is firm, free of major bruises or scars. It says the lack of a creamy yellow spot on the bottom might indicate the melon was picked too soon and before it was ripe.

The writer of the site also addresses the sound test: “While it’s true that the ‘sound test’ can give you some insight on a watermelon’s ripeness, I don’t endorse or use the test because it’s too subjective and there’s no defi nitive agreement on which result the test is supposed to yield. Some say a ripe watermelon will produce a hollow sound, while a ‘thick’ or ‘solid’ sound indicates a watermelon that’s not ripe or too ripe. Others say a hollow or ‘tight’ sound is bad, and your watermelon should instead sound ‘fi rm.’ Still others say a ripe watermelon should produce a B-fl at sound.”

I have been picking out watermelons for a lot of years and seldom get one that’s not ripe - at least not if there is a ripe melon in the bunch when a watermelon is on the grocery list. And, yes, you’ll see me giving that watermelon a thump and listening closely to the pitch - a nice deep, hollow soundthat just might be pretty close to a B-flat. And, since I used to play a baritone horn, I know what a B-fl at sounds like.

But, it’s not just the pitch; it’s the fullness and hollowness of the sound that tells me the melon will be good and juicy inside - the kind that runs down my chin and all over my shirt with every bite.

But to avoid all subjectivity and the possibility that I am thinking I’m hearing a B-fl at watermelon when it’s actually a B-sharp, or that I think it sounds pretty hollow when actually it’s kind of solid, I take with me a measuring device - a constant, if you please, by which to judge the variables in the watermelon bin.

No, it’s not a pitch pipe or even a tuning app on my phone; it’s much truer than that.

If you see me in the watermelon aisle, you just might see me thump on a watermelon, listening carefully to the tone and hollowness, and then thumping the side of my belly just to be sure the sounds match.

You may laugh, but it works. You can ask Mrs. Griz for my watermelon picking track record.

I know it won’t work for everyone - except maybe for expectant mothers - but it works for me. I count it a special gift and a good excuse to have a belly that sounds a B-fl at when thumped.

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be reached by email at rmoll@ nwaonline.com.

Opinion, Pages 4 on 09/04/2013