The Moreno family moved in next to Mr. Haddad, an old man who was stern and never said good morning. Behind a fence twice as tall as the children he kept a perfect garden. Lila, who was nine, and her brother Finn, who was six, could only see the tops of the sunflowers.
One Saturday Finn's red ball flew over the fence. The children dared each other to ring the bell. Mr. Haddad opened the gate with folded arms. "The ball is in the tomatoes," he said. "You may get it, if you are careful. Walk on the stones."
Lila walked on the stones. The next day the ball flew over again, by "accident". Mr. Haddad said nothing. But the day after, the small side gate was open, with a bucket of water beside it and a note: "For the tomatoes. Six o'clock."
By July the children watered the garden every evening, and Mr. Haddad taught them that a tomato is ready when it comes off in your hand without pulling. At the end of the summer the small gate was a small blue door, and Mr. Haddad said "Good morning" first.
