I am sure you would be, you have afterall been around me long enough to have a lot of me rubbed onto your soul, mind, body, so on
But then
I woke up, epiphany one could call it and thought maybe if that was the case really
For my own belief of such thoughts occuring to you seem like a oddity, and I think you were a little logical
In my pragmatism, I confess that when this thought occurred, I wondered if you did have a tarpaulin for accomplishing such a feat
Make sure it is blue, and ensure you use a mesh, you can salt the tomatoes too, were also associated thoughts
But
I thought about you, thinking about you wondering if I was thinking so, about this tomato drying
But heck, you realise as well as I do that I do not think beyond food, food with you, or thinking of food while thinking about you
Yes food
All the time
Well; being in such a state, i would not wonder if you were not ok
Au contraire ' I would believe if you thought so you are well buried under the drudgery of pushing pencils, stuck to your office chair while your back hurts, and your intent to kill your boss
Violence, sometimes we bitched about that too, or used to
We did
But those tomatoes are not going to dry themselves
Right?
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📝 Reader’s Note — Sundry Sundried Tomatoes
A short, plain-spoken companion for those who like to read with a little map.
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1. Paraphrase: The speaker asks if the other is thinking about drying bright red tomatoes in October.
What it does: Opens with a domestic image that doubles as an invitation — a gentle way to bring the reader into a shared memory or worry.
2. Paraphrase: The speaker says the other would likely know this because they’ve been close for a long time — the speaker’s self is imprinted on them.
What it does: Establishes intimacy: the two people have left traces on each other.
3. Paraphrase: “But then.”
What it does: Marks a shift — the first tremor of doubt.
4. Paraphrase: The speaker reconsiders that closeness.
What it does: Introduces uncertainty; the shared link may no longer hold.
5. Paraphrase: The other person is probably more practical.
What it does: Shows contrast — emotion meets logic.
6. Paraphrase: The speaker distracts themself with literal thoughts: tarpaulin, tools.
What it does: Everyday detail covers deeper feeling.
7. Paraphrase: Mentions blue tarp, mesh, salt.
What it does: Turns instruction into metaphor — preservation, and tears.
8. Paraphrase: Another “But.”
What it does: Hesitation again — feelings waver.
9. Paraphrase: Thinking about the other thinking about them.
What it does: Creates a loop of longing.
10. Paraphrase: The speaker admits they think mostly about food, and the other person is part of that habit.
What it does: Food stands in for love and memory.
11. Paraphrase: “Yes, food.”
What it does: Repetition makes the confession heavier.
12. Paraphrase: “All the time.”
What it does: Reinforces how constant the longing is.
13. Paraphrase: The speaker worries the other isn’t doing well.
What it does: Compassion seeps through the distance.
14. Paraphrase: Imagines the other stuck at work, angry, wanting to lash out.
What it does: Grounds emotion in ordinary frustration.
15. Paraphrase: They used to joke about violence.
What it does: Recalls intimacy — even darkness was shared.
16. Paraphrase: “We did.”
What it does: The brevity makes the loss sting.
17. Paraphrase: The tomatoes won’t dry themselves.
What it does: A small truth that doubles as a push to keep going.
18. Paraphrase: “Right?”
What it does: A final reach — soft, uncertain, human.
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Quick reading tips
Look for double meanings — words like salt, October, blue mean both literal and emotional things.
Notice pivots like “but” — they mark tiny emotional reversals.
The mix of detail and feeling is deliberate: ordinary objects carry heartbreak.
The final lines act as both instruction and closure — life continues, quietly.
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