The new fruit

"Mama, guess what I learned today?" Charlie asked as he dipped his chocolate chip cookie in his milk.

"What, sweetheart?" his mother responded absently as she began her dinner preparations.

"Tomatoes are a fruit!"

"No, darling, they're a vegetable."

"Nope. Mrs. Hanley said that tomatoes are a fruit because all fruits have seeds."

"Would you like a slice of apple on your ham sandwich in your lunch tomorrow?"

"Eww!"

"Exactly. Apples fruit, yummy dessert; tomatoes, vegetable, delicious with lettuce and ham on white with a touch of mayo or mustard."

"Mrs. Hanley says all fruits develop from the o, the ov, the ovary of the plant and contain the seeds."

"Ovaries in second grade?"

"And not only tomatoes are fruit, Mama."

"Do tell."

"Peppers are fruit and so is eggplant!"

"Sounds like new math to me."

Charlie giggles. "It's not math, Mama, it's science."

"Mmhmm. Maybe I should make an eggplant pie for Mrs. Hanley for Teacher Appreciation Day next week."

"With tomatoes and peppers?" Charlie asked, still giggling.

His mother smiles and says, "Maybe."

As he puts his empty plate and glass in the sink, Charlie says, "Whatcha making for dinner?"

Without hesitation she responds, "Grilled chicken with a fruit salad."

"Yum! With blackberries and raspberries?"

"No, not that fruit. The new fruit: tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado and olives. "

"Oh." Charlie frowns then laughs, "an old salad with new fruit."