The chaplain's desk is cluttered with only the presence of an ugly orange-red tomato, symbolizing his feelings of inadequacy. This tomato, a gift from Colonel Cathcart, has been abandoned and forgotten, mirroring the chaplain's own sense of failure and disarray in his life. Its indestructible nature emphasizes how his challenges persist and remain impossible to ignore.

The imagery of the tomato is striking, portraying not just a physical object but also a deeper emotional weight. It represents the chaplain's struggles within the chaotic and absurd environment he finds himself in, highlighting themes of incompetence and the pressures of authority in "Catch-22." The forgotten tomato stands as a testament to his internal conflicts and shortcomings in a seemingly indifferent world.