2547. Gabriella’s tomatoes

Gabriella took up gardening with a great deal of enthusiasm. She had never had the space before. Her marriage had broken down and broken up, her daughter was safely tucked away at university, and the place Gabriella now rented had a large, in-need-of-a-weed, vegetable garden. There is nothing nicer than a home-grown freshly picked tomato, thought Gabriella. Besides, she needed a hobby to take her mind off things.

She purchased a packet of tomato seeds; “Grosse Lisse” the variety was called. The back of the seed packet said they were best sown in trays inside and kept moist for quite a few weeks before the estimated last frost. There were six compartments in each tray so Gabriella sowed twelve seeds in her two trays. Each day she carefully watered them. To a first-time gardener it was an exciting and interesting venture.

The “official date” of the last frost came and went. Not a single tomato seed had germinated. Not to be beaten, our intrepid gardener got in the car, drove to the garden centre, and bought twelve healthy tomato plants.

Throughout the season she had tomatoes coming out her ears. Which just goes to show that some stories don’t lend themselves to murder.

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