Chapter Seven—If You Like To Talk To Tomatoes…

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"And where's your proof? Have you ever once done research on this?"

"Man, I don't need research; it's common sense! Fruits have seeds. Tomatoes have seeds. Therefore tomatoes are fruits!"

"Look, I know about this kind of stuff. I lived in Gotham. The Tariff Act of March 3, 1883 required a tax to be paid on imported vegetables, but not fruit. And the tomato was taxed!"

"But it has seeds! I worked in my mama's garden enough to learn that."

Suddenly, Beast Boy popped out of nowhere to interject. "Botanically, a tomato is a fruit because it is a seed-bearing structure growing from the flowering part of a plant. But in the 1893 court case, Nix v. Hedden, the U.S. Supreme court ruled that a tomato would be classified as a vegetable for tax reasons based on the ways in which it is used and despite its botanical fruit definition. So scientifically it's a fruit, but politically it's a vegetable."

There was a moment of stunned silence.

"Wow…" Robin muttered.

"Man…just hearing him say a big word like 'botanical' is freaky. Say it again!" Cyborg urged Beast Boy.

Robin wasn't quite convinced. "How do you know all this stuff?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm a vegetarian," he answered simply and walked off into the sunset.


A/N: Seriously, go check out the Wikipedia page for this court case. It's real. And yes, I stole exact quotes from Wiki. I'm a regular Red X.

And while you're at it, look at Toy Biz v. United States, distinguishing whether action figures are 'toys' or 'dolls.' :D