Letter to the Editor

Gabby and Willy could hardly wait to plant their garden. They were going to have the best garden in the neighborhood.

It’s a beautiful day to plant a garden. Gabby and Willy filled their wheelbarrow with a hoe, a rake, a watering can, gloves and lots of vegetable seeds. After working together for hours, their garden was finally planted. Willy and Gabby were tired, but also very proud of their work. For the next two days, Gabby and Willy took turns weeding and watering their garden. Imagine Gabby’s and Willy’s surprise when on the third day they found their garden had grown overnight. The tomatoes were red and ripe, the carrots had full, green tops and even the lettuce was ready to be picked.

“How could this have happened?” Willy and Gabby said to each other.

“I don’t know, but it’s great!” said Willy. “Let’s pick a carrot to show everyone.”

“No!” yelled Gabby. “Don’t touch a thing. This garden is half mine and I want it to stay just the way it is.”

For the next two days Willy and Gabby fought so much they forgot all about their garden. But the garden didn’t forget about Gabby and Willy. The vegetables could hear all that arguing and it was beginning to make them crabby.

The tomato was being picked on by the red pepper and the lettuce was getting beaned on its head by the green bean. The onion was making the carrot cry and the corn was pulling on his ears from all the racket.

“This has to stop,” cried the onion. “The only way we will grow to be happy is if we can get along.”

Gabby and Willy could hear their vegetables’ voices. They ran to the garden and couldn’t believe their eyes.

“You used to be so beautiful,” cried Willy. “What happened?”

The corn and celery stalked up to Willy and said, “Your fighting made us all unhappy. For three days that’s all we heard. No one here to care for us so we began to fight too.”

The pepper piped up and said, “Did either of you ever wonder why your garden grew so quickly in the first place? It was because your hard work and cooperation created a magic that made us grow.”

Willy and Gabby looked at each other and said, “We can get that magic back. You taught us if we work together and cooperate, we will all grow to be healthy and happy. What a great gift!”

Carmen Perkins, PhD.