Corn

Yesterday Y-kun came bearing gifts again. (I could write this sentence every single Thursday. He rarely comes empty handed.

Yesterday's gifts were some wilted lettuce and a can of corn stalks.

I don't know what Y-kun's thinking or his family's thinking is about the gifts. I know that his grandfather is a farmer and that some of his produce gets sold at the local vegetable market. Usually the vegetables that Y-kun brings are wrapped in cellophane and are wilting or turning brown so I have a feeling that these may be some of his grandfather's unsold items. And they are brought in abundance! 5 bundles of browning green onions! Two bags full of lettuce!

Sometimes Y-kun's grandmother sends him (I suppose) with a container of simmered vegetables, but more often than not the container has leaked and all Y-kun's books and papers are soggy and smell tantalizing. Sometimes vegetables are brought with dirt still on them so maybe Y-kun has pulled them directly from his grandfather's field and stuffed them into his English bag. Still, the grandparents bring Y-kun by car every week so they must know he is pilfering produce from them...

And last night's can of corn stalks!

"Whatever do you have there?" I say with alarm as dirt and mud go plopping on my living room floor.

"Corn! You can grow corn!" says Y-kun as he drops the lettuce bags in the middle of everything.

Off he went to the kitchen to wash the can (and get dirt into whatever was in the sink... I raced him to the kitchen to make sure the lids were on my cooking pots.)

"Wow! Corn. Where do you think I should plant it?" (not that I have too many choices in my small yard.)

"No! Leave it in the room and then each week we can see how tall the corn has grown!"

I pointed out that corn needed more light than in my living room and besides, I was pretty sure the cats would eat it. I have very little luck with plants in my house. The cats nibble away everything until there is only dirt left.

"Y-kun, even if the cats don't eat it, corn grows pretty tall..."

Y-kun ignored me as he planted a few green pepper seeds from my dinner fixings in the corn can...

"...just to see if they will grow."

This morning unfortunately, the cats have already started nibbling. I don't think the corn has much chance of lasting until next Thursday. Y-kun will be so disappointed.