Poland loves its apples. In fact, there are more than 60,000 apple growers in the country and Poland is the #1 apple exporter in the world. But along comes Vladimir Putin with the Big Stick - not to shake the Polish apple tree, but to beat Ukraine until it gives up Crimea and the eastern provinces. His plan works in Crimea but stalls in Luhansk. The International community rallies around Ukraine; sanctions on the Russian economy get tougher - but Vlad the Punisher fights back with a counter-punch. One, two - No more Polish apples allowed in Russia! On no! Half of Poland's exported apples go to Russia. What to do with the surplus? Slowly but indomitably a whisper from the past is passed from ear to ear and builds to a crescendo. "Solidarity, solidarity" - SOLIDARNOCZ - that clarion call from 1989! That call to arms for Poles to throw off the Communist chains - free themselves from Soviet tyranny! Unite brothers and sisters! Together we can restore our freedom, our honour and our pride!
That spirit of independence was broadcast across the nation through the popular newspaper "Puls Biznesu" (Pulse of Business) : "Stand up to Putin, eat apples and drink cider". And it's working. Television celebrities, pop stars, authors, classical actors, politicians, and thousands of their countrymen and women are taking to social media, posting apple-biting selfies on Facebook and Twitter. Vodka sales are dropping as people turn to apple cider. And most importantly, Poland, now free from the straitjacket of Communist Central Planning, can diversify into other markets. Entrepreneurs and government negotiators are looking to America, Asia and the Middle East to pick up the slack.
It will take time, maybe a season or two, to put those new trade relations into place but eventually they will provide a more secure outlet for Polish apples and other products - leaving Vladimir Putin shadow-boxing in the ring all by himself - which is exactly where he belongs.
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