"All words are symbols that represent unspeakable realities. Which is also why words are magical." (Donald Miller tweet)

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

ya wanna buy a ... eggplant?

Who knew a black market for veggies existed??!!!

This year, a group of us has adopted one of the Hamilton Victory Gardens sites. HVG is a whole network of urban gardens, in which everything is donated, and all work is done by volunteers. Every single bit of produce is donated to local food banks.

Except perhaps 1 or 2 cherry tomatoes. I had to test them.

Wait - is this about me?? Oh no. First this, and now this. 
My carefully-woven web of food theft is all falling apart.


It's not about me?


Oh.



Never mind.


Anyway, apparently someone is stealing from a few of the sites. I actually had people ask me at the start of the season - "What if someone steals the food?" My answer had been, "Well then, I presume they're hungry, which is kind of the point. It's not like there's a black market for veggies!!"

But apparently there is.

I can't even get outraged. It's too ridiculous. So I stand, figuratively speaking, hands on hips, eyebrows raised in an expression of disdain, lips sucked in disapprovingly, shaking my head slowly. I have one thing to say to the thieves - "Really? REALLY??"

Meanwhile, if you're buying fresh produce from a shady-looking character with a zucchini tucked into his jacket, maybe consider the source.