I thought I lived in a nice neighbourhood

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accessed 14/2/13I don't grow tomatoes anymore. Or potatoes. I used to. The front garden was overflowing with tomatoes and potatoes - not too close together because they don't like each other. The tomatoes were those huge ox-heart ones with the rich, syrupy flavour. I'd check them every afternoon to see if they were ripe enough to pick - I love vine-ripened tomatoes. They're much better than the ones you have to ripen on the kitchen bench. The flavour is fuller.

I'd decide that one more day had to pass, and I'd pick them. When I came home from work the next day, they'd be gone. At first I blamed the possums and fruit bats. We have them around here so it's not unreasonable to think they'd be raiding the garden.

Then, early one morning, I happened to look out the window to see my neighbour (not the neighbours from hell, but one next door) leaving my yard. In her hands were cradled four of my tomatoes and a couple of potatoes.

I grow chillies now. She doesn't like spicy food.