The Plant Lady

Rachael dragged the last pot onto her porch, shoved it into place with a weary grunt, and collapsed into her chair. She smiled even as she noted the ache in her biceps. The palm trees had been on sale for six dollars apiece, pot and all. How could she resist?

Her husband had asked her not to buy any more plants, but that was such a silly request. Fifty plants wasn’t too many, especially since they all had names and she knew exactly how much sunlight they desired and when they needed to be watered and what food they liked.

Oh, the food they liked. That had been the largest expense. At first, she bought a large bag of plant food, then two. Soon she needed help lugging the bags from the store to her new truck, which she bought to carry the plant food — oh, how her husband had balked over that! — and soon, well…

At least he didn’t make such silly requests anymore.

She sighed and relaxed into the thatched cushion of her chair. Leafy fronds rubbed the tense muscles of her shoulders and biceps. She had three new trees that needed names and nourishment. Perhaps she would ask that wild-eyed young vagrant who watched her as she left the house every day to help her bring in the plant food tomorrow. He seemed strong. She might even use his name. It’s not like he would need it…after.

Rachel slipped into a happy dream, surrounded by her plants.

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The important thing to know about this story is , to the best of my knowledge, none of my friends have murderous plants nor do any of them feed balky husbands or passing vagrants to their houseplants.

I feel confident saying this.

On the other hand, I do have a friend with a fondness for large potted plants of the kind featured in a cult movie and a musical, so the existence of a lady raising a blood-fed army of plants is not altogether out of the question.

Which reminds me. Ever been out in a wooded area and have a leafy branch brush over your shoulders? Kind of creepy, isn’t it?

Yeah.

(Photo Credit: Pexels on Pixabay)