Tomatoes and Stars: My Little Bradbury Moment
Plainview, NY
From the essay
A few weeks ago, a friend gave me several tomato plants—barely alive. They were withered, weak, lying almost flat on the ground. Couldn’t stand on their own. Honestly, they looked beyond help. Still, I planted them. Gave them good fertilized soil, watered them, and left them alone. I didn’t go back for a few days—not because I forgot, but because I was afraid. Afraid they’d be gone. Sometimes, it’s easier not to look. And then I remembered Bradbury’s story—The Appleseed. In it, there’s this man—Johnny—traveling from planet to planet. The worlds he lands on are dead, airless.
Adapted from PDF pages 1.