Spring Planting

The guys were in the middle of a minor disagreement as they positioned themselves on the loft floor facing their fake fireplace.

“You know what I think?” Brian was remarking. “I think you’re spoiling Gus. All he has to do is say something and you….”

“I am not either spoiling Gus, Kinney,” the kid maintained. “And you’d be the one spoiling him if you weren’t just too darn lazy. I only just encourage him when he expresses a desire to do something that’s like – socially responsible….”

“Like putting all the itinerant tomato pickers out of business, I guess?” Brian countered. “With all your do-it-yourself stuff. That’s socially responsible?”

“Gee whiz, Brian,” Justin expressed a degree of aggravation. “I don’t think anybody’s gonna be losing their job because of Gus’ three tomato plants. Lots of folks plant their own. They think it’s fun. And Gus just said he would like to plant a few tomato plants in the back yard. His class at school planted some over there and he got interested and wanted to try some on his own. They have some nice sunny spots for a garden in that back yard – and he’ll learn, …

“What can I say, Kiddo?” Brian laughed. “You trying to turn our kid into a farmer? That’s a tough business. He’d maybe be better off in advertising….”

“ ‘Kinnetics and Son’?’” Justin speculated. “Don’t think that would work out all that well, Bri. Sorry about that. You’re just a little bit like – domineering – and maybe a little bit hard to work with. I don’t think that would be such a good idea at all. He couldn’t work with you and if he were the competition….”

“And you think Gus will be willing to spend all that time nursing those dumb tomato plants along all summer? Watering and all,” Brian opted for a change of direction. “I bet he won’t. Gus takes after me more than he takes after you….”

“I don’t care to argue that point….” It was Justin’s turn to laugh. “No way….”

“That’s because you know I’m right, Babe,” Brian decided. “So it’s an argument you can’t win. But you’ll be running over there all summer – watering those plants yourself and picking the bugs off – and all that stuff. I’ll probably hardly ever see you….”

“Poor Brian,” Justin showed mocked sympathy “You don’t need to worry about being neglected. I love you and I solemnly assure you that you’ll always be more important to me than the tomato plants….”

“Thanks, Sweetheart. I’ll remember that when I’m sitting here with the fireplace,” Brian groused unconvincingly, “all by myself….”

“Well if you want to see me that much, Kinney,” Justin was still laughing, “you can come with me and help with the watering and bug picking and leaf pulling…. Seriously though, Bri, Gus will be going over to school pretty often this summer with his class – even though they are on school vacation – to tend the class tomato plants – they’ll be on vacation when the tomatoes actually appear. He won’t want to disappoint Miss Stevens so he’ll be there. Mel and Linz will help out but I think he’ll tend to his own plants too….”

“And you’ll be his horticultural coach?” Brian kept up. “The stories I hear – you weren’t such a green thumb yourself in – if you’ll excuse the expression – your salad days….”

“That I wasn’t, Brian,” Justin admitted without reluctance. “My dad was a great gardener – and he told me my problem was like – a lack of patience – wanting things to happen too soon. He said gardens have their own schedule and we shouldn’t try to hurry them up. But now since I’ve grown out of that….”

“You’ve grown out of your lack of patience and your wanting things to happen too fast?” Brian grinned at him. “I’m really glad to hear that. Just when did it happen – and why didn’t I notice….?”

“Cut it out, Brian,” Justin demanded. “The tomato plants are a fait accompli – already in the ground and growing. We’ll just have to live with all the complications and ramifications and do the best we can….”

“So I have to settle for a few cherry tomatoes for my salad, I guess,” Brian said. “All the problems and stuff – and that’s all I get out of it….”

“You know what, Bri?” Justin smiled at him. “You don’t even get that. Melanie went with me and Gus when we bought the plants – and she convinced Gus that the big beefsteak tomatoes were a lot more fun to grow – more of a challenge - because they’re heavier on the vine….”

“Challenge my eye,” Brian pointed out. “She knew damn well that I only like cherry tomatoes – and she wanted all the produce for herself. That’s how she is….”

“Well we can fix her, Bri,” Justin suggested. “We’ll insist on our share of the tomato crop – and we’ll make our own home-made ketchup – or maybe tomato juice – right here in our own kitchen – just the two of us….”

“And you know how to make ketchup and tomato juice, JT?” Brian seemed surprised – and somewhat reluctant too.

“Nope,” Justin confessed. “But I can like – do just about anything in the kitchen – if I put my mind to it….”

“Shades of the jambalaya disaster, Sweetheart,” Brian remembered an earlier experience – which for some reason or other brought about a pause in the important discussion – which therefore was allowed to wait its turn.

“You know what, Baby?” Brian eventually returned to the subject at hand. “I like - made arrangements with Giant Eagle. They’re planting a couple of tomato plants for me – and they’re gonna provide me with home-grown cherry tomatoes all summer – and I bet they’d be willing to concoct the ketchup and tomato juice for us too. No point in our doing all that stuff ourselves – just for the two of us. So we’ll just let Gus eat his own tomatoes….”

“Well that’s a great idea, Brian,” Justin allowed. “But maybe Giant Eagle will be a little disappointed. Mikey planted like – about twenty tomato plants over at his place and I asked him to plant some cherry tomatoes for you. That’s taken care of. And since I like tomato slices on my cheese sandwiches, I’m going to use a couple of Gus’ big boys - so I can tell him how good they are….”

“Gus isn’t dumb, Taylor,” Brian reminded the kid. “He’ll know his tomatoes are good when he eats them himself – seems to me….”

“Brian Kinney,” Justin smiled in disbelief. “I know how much you love Gus – and I’m always surprised at how much about him you don’t know. Gus hates tomatoes of all kinds. There’s no way he’s gonna eat any of them….”

“So like – you talked our kid into raising food in his back yard,” Brian replied, “and you got him raising stuff he doesn’t eat?”

“Actually, I mentioned to him that he could like – grow peppers,” Justin defended himself. “Gus loves peppers. But he wanted tomatoes because that’s what Miss Stevens was having the class do….”

“That’s not thinking outside the box, JT,” Brian complained. “So I guess I don’t think Gus should go into advertising with that attitude. And he shouldn’t be a farmer either cause he raises stuff he doesn’t want to eat. He better go into something that’s useless but pays well – something like – like maybe – art….”

“Hey, Brian,” Justin seemed ready to conclude the discussion before it rambled further – and in the wrong direction. “Can’t we just forget about the tomato plants? There has to be something else we can do…..”

“Well this business about what Gus does in the future is interesting, Baby,” Brian told him. “Let’s talk about it a little bit more. The other stuff can wait a while. After all – since you’ve developed patience now….”

“With tomato plants, Bri,” Justin corrected him. “I’ve like – developed patience with agricultural stuff…..”

And it seems that Brian immediately understood exactly what Justin was telling him. There are times when patience is not called for.
 

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