By Amanda I. Seligman

Every spring, Friend Trudy starts seedlings. She is raising funds for a special project at the Meeting. The peacemaker award helps us remember Friend Eleanor. Members of the Meeting take the seedlings for planting at home.

In the summer, Friend Barb grew some of Trudy’s tomato seedlings in her garden. In September, Barb harvested more tomatoes than she needed. One First Day, she put them in a bag and brought them to Meeting. She told Friends that they could take home as many as they wanted.

Friend Amanda was excited to hear about the tomatoes. She started imagining making her favorite salad with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Yum!

But when she looked in the bag, she felt it would be greedy to take all the tomatoes. What if other Friends were hoping to make salad too? What was the right number of tomatoes? She took two out of the bag. Then she thought that maybe she could take one more. Three tomatoes.

Amanda and Friend Kathy walked to the parking lot together. Kathy said that she had forgotten to take a tomato. At home she had bread and lettuce and bacon. With a tomato, she could make a wonderful sandwich. Amanda hesitated for a minute and then gave Kathy one of her tomatoes. After all, she would still have two left. Kathy would really enjoy a BLT.

Amanda and Friend Kai drove to the mall. Kai planned to do some shopping and then take a bus home. Then Kai realized that she had a tomato with her. Stores don’t like it when you bring your own tomato into the produce section. Kai offered her tomato to Amanda. “Are you sure?,” Amanda asked. Kai was sure. Amanda accepted Kai’s tomato.

When she got home, Amanda showed Joe the three Quaker tomatoes. She told him about how she had shared with Kathy and then Kai shared with her.

On Monday, Joe asked Amanda if the Quaker tomatoes were available. Amanda said yes. There were so many tomatoes! Joe had one with his lunch.

On Wednesday, Joe asked Amanda if the Quaker tomatoes were still available. Amanda said yes again. She felt wealthy with tomatoes! Joe enjoyed a second Quaker tomato.

On Friday, Joe asked Amanda if the last Quaker tomato was available. Amanda thought about it. She had forgotten to make salad, and it was Joe’s turn to make dinner. She told him he could have that last tomato. Joe put the tomato into the nachos he was making for both of them. The nachos were more delicious than usual.

On the next First Day, Barb brought more tomatoes to share. Amanda took two. What should she make of them this time?