In the end, with only seven hundred and ninety three people were left on earth, who could still afford to get a buzz, or at least the fruits of it, and even some of them were disappearing and dying off. Long before the dark face of poverty had spread all over the world, I have to admit that some of us saw it coming, but were powerless to stop it.

Some lectured about it, some wrote about it, and some brave news reporters even did nightly news stories on it (as long as there wasn't anything more important to talk about). Most listened, but all efforts were too little too late.

At first, crime scene investigators performing autopsies all over the world, found alarming symptoms never observed before. It was as fascinating as any District Nine Medical Examiner television show. Maybe it wasn't Dr. Jan Garavaglia solving the crime, more like just a number of dedicated scientists working around the clock, each as clueless as the others, and a wide range of different theories. The world soon was pointing fingers in many directions, as the details of the mass murders began to leak to the press.

Long before it came to this, huge numbers were just simply disappearing without anyone even finding the bodies. The rumors and speculations had been going on since clear back in 2006. No two autopsies showed the same modus operandi. Still, although it was talked about, and the average citizen in every country thought they knew a little about the whole mess, few understood the true implications of those we were losing by the hundreds of thousands daily.

Kings and kingdoms, democratic, socialist, and communistic countries, came and went, all focused on the latest financial crisis' or financial scandal. Governments were printing money so fast, that really only the seven hundred and ninety-three people, perceived the irony of the situation. That was only because it was also affecting them. Although, as long as money existed, and they had the most of it, they could go on -- perhaps, not as in the grand style of the days before, but they alone could afford what the starving and disillusioned masses gave up so unwillingly.

To my way of thinking, the top ten of those so privileged and enlightened, could have collaborated. They could have convinced the rest of their kind to help resolve the growing hunger in the world, and find a way to stop the global mass murder. Sadly, in this world, those of the highest power, seldom collaborate. By the time they saw the need, it was too late.

Now, Bill was the only one left in the world who could afford apples, apple juice, apple cider, applesauce, and delicious homemade apple wines. It was only on his estates that they grew anymore. Being the King of Apples, seemed to be some kind of poetic justice.

Warren, still smarting from his losses, and not relishing second place, settled on being the King of Cherries. His fond memories of mom's cherry pie, a luxury dessert back in his childhood days in Nebraska, somehow made this OK. He was at least realistic, admitting he'd made some dumb mistakes. Bill was watching him carefully.

Carlos, as an art collector, would have liked to have been above it all, except his own Lebanese heritage betrayed him into moving away from telecommunications, and into becoming the divided King of Olives and King of Melons. That way, he could continue to dominate what was left of Latin America, and still remain loyal to his ancestors. Truth be known, he was a lot more worried about the demise of baseball.

Lawrence wasn't about to give into his court squabble with Ernesto, he still was vying for being in charge of the America's Cup. Yet, he found himself King of Cranberries. Somehow it wasn't quite enough, yet at least he could afford them. Maybe he'd just sail away somewhere on his ninety food trimaran and forget the whole thing.

Ingvar, usually far above the others in terms of sensibility and frugal living, pretty much went on to live as he always had. Coming from a farm family and humble roots, it wasn't too far a stretch to choose to be King of Raspberries. They were some of the few luxuries he'd always allowed himself in his leaner days.

Germany's Karl, remained as private as he always was. He was content to just play golf as he always had, despite being the unwilling recipient of the title King of Strawberries. Yet, at his deepest level of love, the one he had for orchids -- he perhaps took the mass murders the hardest. He was willing to step outside of his comfort zone, long before the others and funded many of the scientists searching for a solution, all trying desperately before it was too late.

Mukesh and Lakshmi, both being from India, did attempt to join forces, although Mukesh's passions got in the way. He'd much preferred the title of King of Bollywood, than King of Watermelons. When Lakshmi was crowned King of Pears, all of China was in revolt and highly insulted.

Theo had the most to lose. His prior kingdom had depended upon them. Seeing that many murders and knowing that it was an unsolved crime, just made him more reclusive than ever. He garnered the title of King of Blueberries. That didn't even make him appear in public.

Finally, there was Amancio who just plain gave up his throne in favor of his daughter Marta. She was being groomed all along to replace him, in his previous financial kingdom. So, it seemed more fitting that there would be one Queen of Pumpkins among the other nine kings.

So there you have it, in the end, with no solution to the crimes, only the billionaires endured right up to the very end. They were the only ones who could afford to own and consume what the rest of the world could not. The mass murder of honeybees world wide, had led to this.

By the time they realized they could not stop the culprit(s) only the seven hundred and ninety-three finally relinquished their need to control and allowed the top ten to collaborate. The last time anyone saw them, they were boarding a spaceship, heading out with only mother nature's remaining seed to a new home in the sun.

Well, there you have it, this is one of my campfire stories destined for my granddaughter's, as I tell them about the plight of mankind and our friend the honeybee. The trouble with this fairytale, is that parts of the story above, are a little too true. That leaves me with a dilemma, perhaps the saddest part of all, and the most frightening. I don't want them to grow up and remember it as a terrible ghost story.

I'll tell them this story is all about the gold rush of the 21st century, when mankind, in it's greed and it's thirst for wealth, created a situation where it is entirely possible that only the wealthiest of the world's wealthy will be able to afford to eat certain foods we all take for granted now in their childhood.

Worldwide, honey bees are dying. Worldwide, mankind has created this mass murder. Worldwide, we will lose over one-third of all crops that require pollination without them. These shortages aren't limited to fruits and their products. The bigger picture is the alfalfa needed by dairies to feed the cows that give us milk and so much more.

We can all help the honey bee in a small grass roots level by:

• Breaking up large stretches of residential lawns and green spaces with more flowery meadow crops (such as white clover)
• Planting flowering crops in greater variety
• Planting flowering crops at different times of the year
• Remembering that a mind set of a sterile world, without "buzzing" and "stinging" insects isn't the world we really want
• Refuse to buy plant seeds that are genetically treated with pesticides (i.e. Bt crops)
• Stop the practice of heavy use of insecticides
• Allowing commercial bee keepers to place hives on your pasture and meadow land (Often bee keepers have to beg for land owners to allow bees on their property. Additionally, some stupid communities have placed laws restricting bee keeping in "no buzz and fly zones")
• Preserving nectar corridors both for honeybees and other insects, and the wildlife that also depend on flowers along migration routes

Short of flying mother nature’s seed to a new home in the sun, all of us need to do our part in stopping mother nature from having to constantly be on the run while beekeepers and scientists continue to fight Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). We all need to unite together and act quickly in right a wrong, the pact between us and mother nature -- to safeguard both our environment and food supplies.  We're failing miserably, we need to make it right before it's too late.

Since 2006, all over the world commercial beekeepers are finding mostly empty hives and completely abandoned hives of honeybees. It's like they ran away, leaving behind their food, bee larvae, the young, and the queen. Prior to this loss, there were no apparent signs of illness, and afterwards few bee bodies to be found. It's like they disappeared off the face of earth. This is not normal bee behavior.

The problem is so widespread that it now has a name -- Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Some bee keepers are reporting up to ninety percent losses. This could spell disaster for many important every day crops that we all take for granted. Here in the states, California, Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas are experiencing devastating bee losses. Just one large beekeeping operation reported in February that half of their one hundred million bees were missing.

Soon it will affect the market place in ways that most Americans are completely unaware -- and it will deeply affect our pocketbooks and that of grocery retailers, in already troubled financial times.

At present writing, there are many scientific theories for what is happening, but no real clear cut explanation for what's happening. Some of the theories are:

• Viruses (Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV), that produces something similar to Aids, only in insects)
• Fungus
• Parasites (Nosema-apis)
• Poor bee nutrition
• Pesticides and chemicals
• Mites (Varroa)
• An auto immune disease of bees

• In Spain and Africa, prehistoric caves, with drawings dated back over eight thousand years ago, depict honey and bees
• The most famous of these early bee drawings is to be found in Valencia, Spain -- showing a woman gathering honey over six thousand years ago.
• Healthy queen bees lay over fifteen hundred eggs a day, provided the weather is warm.
• Queen honey bees always have a dozen staff worker bees whose sold job is to guard, clean, and feed her.
• A honey bee can visit at ten flowers a minute.
• A honey bee might visit at over six hundred flowers in a single trip out of the hive before returning.
• Large losses of honeybees have been reported in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, and across Europe.
• Up to a million honey bee colonies have been lost in one year in the U.S. alone.
• Each February, almost all portable bee colonies are moved to California from all over the U.S. to California -- just for almond trees. Without them, we would not have an almond industry in America.
• China has been experiencing the worst bee lost in certain regions, long before 2006, and now their important pear crops must be hand pollinated.
• Wild bee pollinators (such as the four bumblebee species) are also experiencing the same disorder
• Other pollinators such as pollinating bats and hummingbirds are also showing some of the same symptoms

Over one third of all commonly eaten fruits and vegetables world wide, will disappear if the honey bee disappears. What are you willing to give up? Here are some examples of what we stand to lose:

• Almonds
• Apple
• Asparagus
• Avocado
• Blackberry
• Blueberry
• Cherry
• Cranberry
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Pear
• Plum
• Pumpkin
• Onion
• Radish
• Raspberry
• Strawberry
• Squash
• Turnip
• Watermelon