The Tomato Thief, by Ann-Louise Truschel

I’m growing six tomato plants on my front porch wall. The young tomatoes are very considerate, ripening one at a time. I watched to make sure I picked the first one at the peak of ripeness. However, it had a big hole pecked into it – as did the second and then the third one.

Turned out that a very tame road runner, hanging around the front yard, was the culprit. The foot-high bird stood on the wall, guarding “his” plants when I came out. I had to shoo him away to get my own tomatoes. He never said, “Beep, beep!”