A Hundred Times

The Tomato Plant

Author's Note: Originally posted for #CLOYtober "Tomato"

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The little boy loves the tomato plant that grows in his house.

Every day, he wakes up and even before he greets his Omma and Appa, he wishes the tomato plant a good morning. Every night, he gives it a little kiss on its leaf and sings it a lullaby.

In winter, he turns up the heat and watches the snow fail outside with his tomato plant, pointing out special snowflakes to it. When spring comes, he watches the little tomatoes grow day by day and cries if he sees even one withered.

On his first day of school, the little boy walks home arm in arm with his mother. He chatters to her about his day. He feels proud that no other child in school had an Omma that was as pretty as her, with her long flowing hair and crescent eye smile.

When the boy gets home from school, he runs over to greet his tomato plant as usual. But before he can hug it, he pauses, considering for a moment.

"Omma," he asks his mother. "My school doesn't have a tomato plant. And my friends say their house doesn't have one either. Why do we have one? And all my aunties and uncles too?"

His mother walks over, ruffling his hair thoughtfully. She looks fondly at the plant.

"Your grandfather, Ri Jeong-hyeok, always kept one in the house. He said it was a sign of good luck, that the best things in his life only came to him after he received a tomato plant. "

"My grandparent's home was always full of plants, but the tomato plant was their favorite. And since then, all their children, and now their grandchildren, have always kept a tomato plant in their home. Will you do the same, Jeong-hoon?"

Jeong-hoon gapes at his mother, and then the little tomato plant on the windowsill. And then he nods, thinking of a day when he'll have his very own plant.