The price of tomatoes

the other day, Ma told me

that she regretted not climbing Mt. Kailash

seven decades ago

then she asked for the price of tomatoes

piled high on our dining table.

when I told her that I got the tomatoes for half-off

she smiled

and I marvelled at how the discount on a

hill of tomatoes

could salvage a lifetime of regret

over not climbing a

mountain