tomatoes

she tells me
that she has to
get up early
in the morning, so
she needs to call
it a night, i'm sorry
she says, but i'm
working at the
farmer's market
tomorrow and we
have a new shipment
of tomatoes
coming in that have
to be stacked. i
have to be there
at five a.m.
to unload the trucks,
set up the table
and that sort of thing.
tomatoes, i say.
you have to go
home because of
tomatoes. hmmm. that's
a first. plum tomatoes,
or on the vine?
a variety, she says
smiling. i may
use that from time
to time if you
don't mind. no, not
at all, she says,
goodbye.