The bright blue frisbee sailed way too high. It soared over the vegetable patch, spinning fast toward Grandfather's prized garden bed.
SNAP! The giant yellow petal-crown smashed into the dirt, kicking up a dusty, glittering cloud of pollen. He covered his mouth, staring wide-eyed at the split green stalk.
He had to fix it, quickly! Gathering three sturdy sticks and a huge roll of sticky silver tape, he worked frantically, wrapping layer after layer around the broken stem.
The towering flower leaned severely to the left, bobbing up and down in the breeze like a broken umbrella. Sitting down hard on a cool rock, he bit his lower lip and watched the wobbly plant.
The hot afternoon sun baked the damp soil. Under the intense heat, the layered edges of the tape began to peel away from the stalk with quiet crinkling noises.
A cheerful humming floated through the fresh air. Grandfather strolled onto the patio carrying his heavy watering can. Hearing the footsteps, he tucked his chin against his knees, hiding his face entirely.
Before the heavy boots could reach the wonky stem, he sprang up. "I broke it with my frisbee!" he blurted out to the quiet garden.
Right on cue, the shiny tape snapped apart. The heavy yellow flower flopped completely upside down, crashing into a tangle of tomato vines. Grandfather placed the watering can on the grass and sank down right into the mud.
Two strong arms wrapped around him in a tight, dirt-smudged embrace. "Thank you for telling me the truth," the steady voice murmured against his ear.
Together, they sat cross-legged in the warm grass, pulling rough, striped seeds from the fallen blossom. "We will plant these," the gentle voice promised, dropping a handful into his tiny palm for next spring.
