Monthly Archives: May 2022

THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS

It was hard to believe but the first day of Spring has finally arrived. Dahlia was so excited she was unable to fall asleep the night before. She spent her entire sleepless night planning her garden. How could she possibly sleep when she had so many decisions to make. It was true that she had worked diligently during the long, cold, and dark winter perusing all the seed catalogs and the internet.

She had drawn and redrawn the plans for her garden.

Dahlia didn’t know how many years she had left in her life. But she knew that as long as she had breath in her body that she would spend whatever time she had left either planning her garden or working in it. She could think of no better way to wile away the time she had left.

Dahlia could not comprehend why everyone wouldn’t love gardening. Working the soil with her hands, breathing the fresh and fragrant air all around her, and feeling the warm sun on her back. As she knelt in the rich soil and planted her seeds, seedlings were truly a gift. She could not imagine any other activity that would make her feel more alive or more in tune with nature.

She tried to explain to her friends why and how much she loved her garden. But those who never gardened couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to spend all their free time kneeling in the dirt and out in the hot sun. And all of her friends who loved gardening as much as she did couldn’t imagine not loving every minute of it.

Dahlia referred to her garden as the Garden of Earthly Delights. Because every moment she spent in her garden or thinking about it she was completely fulfilled and happy and in harmony with nature. Her mind would empty of worry and calm and focus on the tasks before her. All worry would disappear.

Last Spring and into the Summer Dahlia planned her Koi Pond. She had always dreamed of adding one to her garden and last year after saving for almost five years she was able to hire two young men who lived in the neighborhood to install one in her back yard in front of her back porch.

And she only had to walk down her steps and she was able to stand over her pond and watch the beautiful Koi and Shubunkins and Comets swimming gracefully in her pond. It was the most beautiful sight she could imagine.

Dahlia planted yellow Water Lilly’s. She loved to see her beautiful Koi poke their faces out of the water and try and capture the dragonflies as they touched upon the water ever so lightly. This year Dahlia planned to plant a white Hydrangea behind the pond.

One afternoon as she was weeding her garden in the backyard she heard a little voice call out, “Hi, hello, could I come into your yard and see your Koi pond? My mother said I couldn’t come over unless you said it was OK. And you were here. She’s afraid that I’ll fall into the pond and drown. But I wouldn’t because I would be really careful. Can I come in?”

Dahlia smiled at the little girl who looked like she was about five or six years old. She had long, blond hair that hung down to her shoulders and when the sun shined on it her hair looked like it was made out of gold. “Of course, let me come over and unlock the gate for you.” Then Dahlia walked over to the fence and smiled at the little girl. Her smile would light up the darkest of days and her eyes were a shade of blue that is hard to define. Somewhere between the color of the ocean and a cloudy day. “What’s your name, dear?”

“My name is Iris. My mother told me she named me that because my eyes were the same color as her favorite flower, the Iris. And that she carried a bouquet of blue irises when my mommy and daddy got married.”

“Really? Why they are my favorite flower too, what a coincidence. I’ll tell you what before you leave I’ll cut some Irises for you to take home to your mother. How would you like that?”

“Really? I would love that. It would make my mommy so happy. We just moved into the house at the end of the corner and there are hardly any flowers in the yard. My mom loves flowers and was sad that our new house didn’t have any flowers. But, I said, that I could help her plant some. Maybe even some blue Irises.”

“Oh, I’m so happy that house finally has a family living in it. It was empty for a long time. There was an older couple living in it for a long time. But they had to go to an assisted living residence.”

“What does that mean, assisted living?”

“Oh, sorry that just means a place for older people to live where they have people that help take care of them, if they can’t walk too well, or they are lonely or something like that.”

“Are you going to have to go to that place? I hope not because you’re the first friend I made so far and we’ve been living here for almost a week.”

“Oh, a week isn’t that long. Before you know it you will have a whole bunch of friends. There are a few children your age on this street alone. Plus when you start school you’ll make a whole lot of friends, don’t worry.”

“Really do you think so?”

“Of course Iris, I have no doubt you will make many friends in no time at all. How about we take a little walk and you can meet some of my fish. I’ll give you some fish food and they’ll come right up to the top of the water, you’ll see.”

As they walk across the yard towards the pond, Iris became more and more excited. “Can you introduce me to your fish? Do they have names?”

“Names, of course. You stand over here for a minute while I get some fish food. Don’t get any closer to the edge of the pond. It is really deep in some parts. OK? I’ll be right back. Dahlia double-times it to the porch to get some fish food and then all but ran over to Iris, she was afraid she might fall in the pond.

“OK, here we go, hold open your hand and I’ll put some fish food into it. The little girl smiled and opened up her hand. Dahlia couldn’t remember the last time she saw such a tiny hand. She rarely was around any little children since she and her husband were not able to have any kids.

“Alright, just drop some of the fish food into the pond, be careful near the edge. And then we’ll wait for a couple of minutes and the fish will start coming up. Iris did as she was told and before she knew it she saw the gaping mouth of a fish. He swallowed the food in a flash. And Iris laughed and said, “oh can I do it again? Who was that what’s his name?”

“Oh, that’s Finley, he’s my Koi, isn’t he beautiful? After he gets to know you, he will come right up to you and you will be able to drop the food into his big mouth.”

“Oh, here comes another one. He’s really fast.” And at that moment a fish jumped up out of the water and then went back in a blink of an eye. “What’s his name?”

“Oh, that’s Haley’s Comet. I named him after a Comet because he is so fast. And because he is a Comet which is a type of Koi. Throw him some fish food.”

Iris dropped several fish pellets into the water. And before you knew it Haley’s Comet had devoured the food and jumped back into the depths of the pond.

“Oh, I see little tiny fish in there. Are they babies?”

“Yes, there are quite a few, but I’ve never been able to count them because they swim around too quickly. Iris, does your mother know where you are? She might be wondering where you got to since you’re new to our neighborhood. How about we go and get your mom some Irises and then I’ll walk you back to your house. And I’ll say hello, and introduce myself to your mother?”

“Oh OK, I know my mom will be happy if you give her the flowers. She just loves them so much.”

“Alright, how about you come over here next to the deck and wait while I get some clippers to cut the flowers.”

Dahlia, grabbed her clippers from the back porch, and then she said, “Iris, why don’t you pick out the six Irises for me?”

“Really? OK.”

And then Iris stood there for a couple of minutes and carefully picked out the biggest and most beautiful flowers. “Oh, my mom will just love these.”

And then Iris and Dahlia started their short walk down the street to Iris’s new home. “Here it is, here it is. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Yes, it is a truly beautiful new house. I know your family will be happy living here. It is such a friendly neighborhood and soon you will make some friends.”

“Oh, I already met my new best friend. It’s you, Dahlia.”

“That is the nicest thing anyone ever said to me, Iris.”

And before they knew it they arrived at the front yard of Iris’s house and her mother was standing outside on the front sidewalk.” Iris I was beginning to get worried about you. You shouldn’t have gone off without telling me where you were going? Oh, I’m sorry I should have introduced myself. I’m Iris’s mother. And you are?”

“I’m Dahlia, I live three houses down the street and Iris stopped by to say hello and she met some of my fish, in my Koi pond. I’m sorry if you were worried. I just wanted to stop by and say, “welcome to the neighborhood. I hope you will be very happy here. And I am so happy to meet Iris. She is welcome anytime, as long as she lets you know where she is going. And you are welcome anytime as well. Iris told me how much you love flowers and I would be happy to share some with you. Once you get settled in and have time to work in your garden.”

“Really? I did notice your house when we first came here to check out the house and we drove up and down the street. And I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful your garden is. And I’d love to stop by one day and take a look at all your beautiful flowers and of course your Koi pond as well. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself to you. My name is Rose, so I guess that is something we all have in common. We were all named after flowers. And we all love them.”

“That is funny, please feel free to stop by anytime. I warn you in advance I have a tendency to go on and on about flowers. One day after you get settled in, and have some free time, please stop by and see my garden and I’ll tell you where the best plant stores are located around here. I better be on my way, I’m sure you have tons of things to do and get unpacked. I look forward to your visit. Bye for now. Bye Iris, thanks for coming over. I hope to see you both soon. Dahlia waved goodbye and went on her way back to her house. She had a big smile on her face. It had turned out to be such a wonderful day. Rose and Iris waved bye to her as she turned to leave. And they were smiling as well.

THE TIME HAS COME TO RING THE BELL

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Vegan Breakfast

My alarm went off at its preordained time, six o’clock AM. I kept slamming my fist down on the Snooze button over and over again. I stayed up late last night watching a movie even though I knew damn well that I should go to bed on time, early even.

Since yesterday I was informed by the president of the company‘s executive assistant that he wanted to see me first thing tomorrow morning in his office. His assistant informed me that my boss wanted to talk to me about my future with the company. He told me this with the most sincere smirk on his obnoxious face.

I suppose at some subconscious level I was reluctant to find out just what my future held. I heard rumors on the grapevine that there were going to be drastic cutbacks in both employees and promotions. I have been employed by Nothing But Vegan since I graduated from NC Central University with a Master’s Degree. And I was in the top ten percent of the class. I wholeheartedly believed at that time that I was going to scale the corporate ladder in record time. And I was going to bring about a major change in the way Americans eat.

But more than anything my ultimate goal was to save our planet by educating humanity about the Vegan lifestyle. More and more of the general population is seeking meatless solutions, not only for their health but for the health of the planet. I was convinced of this.

Believe it or not, the lowly pea is likely to become one of the most necessary additions to the veggie burger. When I was first hired, it was I who forecast the billion-dollar market that lies ahead for meatless, vegan foods. And because of my advice, my employer was a multi-millionaire. I just couldn’t comprehend that I might be losing my job, my career, and my future. It seems unfathomable. I looked forward to a glum future.

I managed to drag myself out of bed and into the shower and then put on my best suit and tie. I decided to wear my Hugo Boss slim-fit virgin wool suit. When I looked in my full-length mirror I had to admit I looked amazing. And I was sure this suit alone have a positive effect on my boss. I finished dressing and headed out the door. I tried to keep a positive attitude as I headed to work. I considered all the arguments I could raise for keeping me employed and by the time I arrived at my building I felt confident that my future was assured.

But ultimately my coup d’etat would be the fact that I have been working secretly behind the scenes and found that within our company we had spies. Spies who were committing corporate espionage. And it was happening not at the bottom of the corporate ladder but at the top. None other than Frederick Walton was a member of one of the richest families in America. Apparently, some people can not be rich enough nor do they have scruples or concern for the people around them and how much their behavior will adversely affect the people above them who are scrambling up that same corporate ladder.

I pulled my 2022 Tesla electric car into my parking spot. I loved this car more than anything. I would cry like a baby if anything ever happened to it. I have done everything I could to inform my friends, family, and the general public about doing everything within their power to protect our environment, including the land and the water, and the very air that we breathe. But my Tesla is the one thing I would find almost impossible to give up. I kept telling myself that driving a Tesla is a hundred times better than driving a vehicle that uses fossil fuels. In fact, This assumes that the average gasoline vehicle driven on the road nowadays has a fuel economy of about 20 to 22 miles per gallon and the average driver goes approximately 11,500 miles per year. And every gallon of gas burns about 8,890 grams of CO2.

As I step out of my car, I see several of my fellow employees walking in my direction. It was customary for us to stop and have a brief conversation with one another and then share a coffee or even a light breakfast in the employee’s break room. As I walk toward them they all make a sharp left turn and head toward the side entrance to our building. Not one of them looked my way. I was so shocked I stood there momentarily frozen to the tarmac. I saw this as an affirmation that my fear of losing my job was real. And my sense of betrayal was overwhelming. In fact, I had to stop and take some deep breaths before I could soldier forward. I felt like I was walking closer and closer toward my own demise.

As I move forward I have a sudden impulse to run back to my beloved car and drive as far and as fast as I can someplace else, anyplace else. I stop in my tracks and take several deep breaths. I attempt to move away from my emotional thinking and let my intellect take over.

I can only remember feeling this overwhelmed with fear and anxiety and pain once when I was a child about ten years old. I was playing in my backyard and I decided to climb a large old Oaktree. I climbed as high as I could and I was about to start down the tree when I saw something strange in the limb above my head. So, I climbed a little higher. I heard a weird noise. It seemed like a low-pitched but all-encompassing sound. And then suddenly I felt something was stinging me everywhere from my head to my feet.

And no matter what I did I couldn’t escape from the burning, sharp pain. There was no escape. Even after I managed to get down out of the tree the bees continued their relentless attack upon me from head to toe. It was days before I managed to overcome the fear, and the pain of the over one hundred stings I endured. To this day I still have a fear of stinging insects. Although I try to hide this fear when anyone else is nearby. And that is what I did now. I proceeded forward despite the overwhelming fear of betrayal and loss. I put one foot in front of the other and soldiered forth towards the breakroom. I really needed to fortify myself with the strongest coffee available.

The door to the breakroom was closed which was odd. I pushed it hard and suddenly the force behind the door disappeared and I almost fell on my face. And when I got hold of myself, I pulled myself up and I received the surprise of my life.

Everyone in the company was standing at attention at every table in the breakroom. And there was a large staff of waiters and cooks standing in the front of the breakroom as well. Usually, there were only four people working there in the morning. And then suddenly I heard a familiar voice call out my name. It was the head of the company. He was talking into a microphone. And he was saying my name. James Nelson, please step forward to the podium.

I looked around the room and everyone was looking at me and clapping. I walk on rubber legs to the podium. I stared at James Nelson and he put his hand out to me and he shook my hand. He said, “John Carson, I am so proud to announce that you will be heading up our corporate office in Washington from this day forward. Because you have made more progress to promote the vegan lifestyle and promote the green movement than any other man or woman. Congratulations, you deserve this more than any person I know.”

I stood there frozen for a moment. And then everyone stood up and clapped. I felt a tear of happiness and relief slide down my cheek and smile so wide that my cheeks hurt. In that transient moment, I felt that every step I had taken in my life before this moment had led up to this moment.

And then James Nelson said, ” OK everyone let’s eat.” And we did. We all ate Vegan Carrot Waffles and bananas with Oats.

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Going on vacation

THOSE WERE THE DAYS

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Dear Kathleen.

High School Graduation 1969

You asked me recently if I would tell you about some of the things I did when I was young so here it goes. It was1970 and I just turned nineteen years old. I was working as a dental assistant. The dentist’s office was in the dentist’s house. I started working there part-time while I was a senior in high school. And after I graduated I worked five and a half days a week. I was off on Wednesday afternoons since that was the traditional day the Dr. Woz and all other dentists golfed.

He trained me and I learned how to develop x-rays, be a chairside assistant, sterilize the instruments and set up the room for the patients. I also answered the phone and made appointments, typed out the bills, and called all the patients the day before their appointments to remind them. I was really busy the whole time I was there and the day just flew by.

I realized that I enjoyed being busy and that I was highly organized. So I decided to try and get a part-time job at a florist shop on my day off from the dentist. I didn’t have any experience working with flowers but I always considered myself to be highly creative. I happen to know the florist that owned a shop called Fabulous Flowers. The owner’s name was Liza. She told me that she would give me a chance and see if I could learn by observing her create flower arrangements. And then I could start off doing easy arrangements like centerpieces for tables. Meanwhile, I could answer the phone and take orders.

On my first day, I was alone at the shop for a short time as Liza was out making a delivery. She called me to tell me that she was going to be delayed and was expecting a flower delivery. She ask me to unpack the flowers when they arrived and put them in the refrigerator.

About a half-hour later a delivery truck pulls up in front of the shop. The delivery guy brings a large box to the door and waves at me from outside the door. I two-timed it over and open the door for him since his hands were full.

He said, “oh, you must be new. Is Liza around?“

“Not right now. But she told me to accept the package and put the flowers in the frig.”

“Alright then, can you sign your John or should I say, Jill Hancock here? And I’ll be on my way.” So, I signed it and he was out the door in a flash. I didn’t even get a chance to ask his name or say goodbye. Oh, well next time.

I open the box and there was a gorgeous bunch of long-stemmed red roses in it. I was about to start taking them out when I noticed something was moving inside the box. I couldn’t imagine what it was. I carefully moved one rose at a time out of the box when I heard the bell on the door chime. I looked over at the door. It was Liza.

I said, ” Hi, Liza.” And then all of a sudden I felt something moving across my hand. It was the biggest spider I had ever seen, and it had fangs. That’s right fangs. I just totally freaked out and I jerked my hand above my head and the spider flew across the room and hit Liza square in the face. And then we were both screaming. Lisa knocked the spider off her face onto the floor and then she slammed her foot down on the spider and squished it with her size nine and a half clod hoppers. And that my friends was the end of that spider. He traveled all the way from South America only to be smashed into oblivion by a terrified florist.

But I have to admit it was an exciting beginning to a part-time job. I was making a dollar sixty an hour and Liza told me she could use me all day so at a dollar sixty an hour for eight hours. I was making an additional twelve dollars and eighty cents. Plus the ten hours a day for five days a week at the dentist I was making an unbelievable eighty dollars a week. I felt like I was rich beyond my wildest dreams. I started to make plans on what I would do with my newfound riches. The only money I ever made before was for babysitting my nieces and nephews.

During the first week I worked for Dr. Woz I was in the office talking to someone on the phone and I heard a buzzing noise. I had no idea what it was so I just ignored it. The buzzing went on and on. And I thought huh I wonder what that is all about. I started taking patients’ files out for the next day. All of a sudden I heard Dr. Woz say, “Sara didn’t you hear me buzzing?”

“Well, I heard a buzzing noise but I didn’t know it meant anything let alone that you were trying to get my attention.”

“What did you think it meant?”

“I don’t have a clue. What does it mean?”

“It means I need you to come in the room and assist me.”

I look at him and said, “alright but next time you probably should tell me about it first because my father didn’t raise any mind readers.”

He stares at me and I stare back at him. Then he laughs, and says, “I guess you’re right. I’ll keep that in mind.” I was only a kid, but I wasn’t a dummy. And I wasn’t going to let anyone blame me for something that was their fault.

The first few months I worked there I took the bus to and from work. And then my father said he was going to let me use his old car since he was going to get a different one. I had just recently gotten my driver’s license. And I wasn’t an experienced driver. But the next thing I knew I was driving back and forth to my job. I was a little scared at first but I soon got used to it. The car my father gave me to drive was old. It had seen better days. It was a hoopty, in fact, it used to be a taxi. So it had a whole lot of miles on it.

But that car was my ticket to an independent life. I realized that I could come and go as I wanted. It meant I didn’t have to take the bus everywhere or ride my bike. I could go to any old place I wanted to go and no one could stop me. Once I turned eighteen my friends and I started going down the shore on the weekends and going to nightclubs on Friday nights and dancing. We had a ball. There was no keeping us down on the farm anymore. Not that we lived on a farm. It meant we were free to go anywhere we wanted to go. Gas was only about thirty-six cents a gallon back then. And we would all chip in and oh boy, those were the days. We had some fun.

One Wednesday when Dr. Woz was out golfing or at least I thought he was out golfing. I went into their house to let Mrs. Woz know that I was leaving for the day. So, I called out, “Mrs. Woz, Mrs. Woz I’m leaving now.” But she didn’t answer. And then all of a sudden I saw Dr. Woz standing at the top of the steps. And he was wearing nothing but a tiny pair of jockey shorts. I stood there momentarily shocked. And then I ran out of the house and left.

When I got home I told my mother that I couldn’t go back there again. She kept asking me, “why what happened?” But I just couldn’t bring myself to tell her. I told my mother to call Dr. Woz and tell him I wasn’t coming back. My mother said, “you have to tell him yourself.”

The next day I called Dr. Woz’s office and I said, “I’m not coming back.” And he said, “Sara, it’s alright. I didn’t know you were downstairs in the living room or I wouldn’t have come out at the top of the steps without my pants on. Please come back. Everything will be alright. I can’t run the office without you. You are doing a great job.”

So I said, “OK, I’ll come back tomorrow.” For the first couple of days, I couldn’t look him in the face. But after a while, I got over it. But I never forgot to this day him standing at the top of his steps in his tiny jockeys and how hairy he was from his neck to his ankles. I wondered if all men were as hairy as monkeys for a long time.

I worked for Dr. Woz for quite a few years until I decided it was time for a change. My father was upset that I quit working at the dentist since he thought it was a great job. And it was a great job. I enjoyed it. But I hardly had any free time.

So I started looking for another job. And I finally found one in another town not far from Dr. Woz’s office. It was an insurance company owned by two brothers, Harry and Evie. It was called Ellis Insurance. They sold high-risk auto insurance. This means that their customers had a tendency to be involved in high-speed accidents or had a great many accidents or tickets and lived in low-end neighborhoods and had difficulty getting insurance somewhere else.

I liked working there because there were two other young women there about my age. And it was the first time that I didn’t work alone all the time. The two men that owned the agency did not have a great work ethic. Especially Harry and he often took us all out to breakfast or lunch almost every day. They used to joke around all the time so it was a fun environment. The pay was better too and I didn’t have to work in the evenings anymore or Saturdays. I also got an increase in pay. So, it was a win-win situation.

I worked there for several years until I started dating someone seriously. And then I decided to move to Florida. And that started a whole new chapter in my life I’ll have to tell you about that when you next time I write. So, what have you been up to?

Best wishes, TTYL, Love, Sara