Friday, June 12, 2009

Purslane and Grumpy

Every summer I go to one of my favorite nurseries and buy baskets of purslane (portulaca oleracea). I bought this one a few months ago to stick in the wildflower garden, and bought the last 2 today. The nursery that has these gorgeous plants is not very far from where I live. It's been there forever. I never went to it much though...the people that worked there were...well...rude! A few years ago I was looking for something (don't remember what) and decided I would try this nursery. I had forgotten what a great selection of plants they had, and all very healthy. However, the owner..was a grumpy old man. I heard years back of "a story" as to why he was like this--bad marriage, bad kids-I didn't know and really didn't care. But it just killed me to see someone working around all these beautiful plants so unhappy.
After lots of thinking as I was digging in the dirt, I decided that I was going to be friends with this man, no matter what it took. So, I started going to this nursery..a lot. And he had the most wonderful plants, I could find almost anything there. I went so much, that he would remember me when I came in. I let him know how thrilled I was to be among all the beauty at his store, and how grateful I was he had "just what I needed."
It took a while, but one day when I walked in, he looked up and smiled! We had become friends.
So, this spring off I go to buy the first purslane, and immediately noticed something was different about the nursery. I thought, oh no, they are closing. But no, they were not closing, "Grumpy" had just sold the store to someone else. The new owners told me the previous owner sold and moved out to his farm. I knew that was his dream, as he had shared that dream with me a few times. They also told me the plants would remain the same, but all the "bad things" would be gone. I heard them say that same thing to every customer that came in..and we all knew what they meant. They do still have the purslane baskets, and they are beautiful, but the nursery is not the same. The new owners are indeed very nice, but the vast selection is gone; no more unusual, hard to find plants anymore. No more shade hanging baskets, not nearly as many roses. No more rows of drought tolerant sages or salvias. No more baskets of scaevola (had to find mine somewhere else) or sweet potato vine. No more Grumpy. I am delighted to know he is finally retired and can live at the farm, and I maybe the only one in town that misses him..but there is now a void at that nursery, and I do miss him. We were friends.
" But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life; and thanks to a benevolent arrangement of things, the greater part of life is sunshine."
Thomas Jefferson

11 comments:

JenningsJunk said...

I don't tell you enough what a wonderful person you are. YOU ARE WONDERFUL!! Thanks for the wonderful flowering pictures today and thank you for sharing your heart.

Meadowview Thymes said...

That was such a sweet thing to say jj. My heart went out to that man, and I wanted so badly to see him smile.. How sad to go through life so unhappy. I hope he is better now that he is on the farm.

lola said...

It's a shame he has sold the nursery. Maybe you could visit him at the farm. I'm sure he would love that.

Meadowview Thymes said...

Lola-kind of a funny thing..the farm is in a tiny, tiny town called Honey Grove. (but I have no idea where his land is) Not many have heard of that town, but I have. I spent many happy weekends there as a child...on my uncle's farm! :)

tina said...

What a wonderful story. So well said. I wish Grumpy much happiness to come his way and you are ever the nice person to become friends with him. I am sure you brightened his day each time he saw you. It is so sad about the plants, but you'll have your memories of Grumpy. We all need one of those I think.

Meadowview Thymes said...

Tina, things are just not the same without Grumpy. The funny thing, when he was there, even though everyone almost hated going there, the parking lot was always full. Yesterday, I was one of 2 there!
Changes! Bah-humbug! :)

Brenda Kula said...

What a sweet person you are to have given him another chance, until you broke the spell! Everyone has a story, and there are reasons sometimes why people are bitter. Maybe it just takes someone who gives of their time to dig a little deeper, as you so kindly did, to find that deep down he wasn't so bad after all. What a true friend you are! This was a very uplifting story on a morning when I sorely needed one.
Brenda

Susie said...

I guess sometimes you just have to take the bad with the good! I'm glad you were able to become friends with him. We just never know what's going on in peoples lives.

Meadowview Thymes said...

Brenda, I think you hit the nail on the head. He was really a nice and helpful person..but I know not to everyone. I think there is a story somewhere..but it didn't really matter. I just wanted to be his friend..

Susie, like you said, we just don't know what has gone on in a person's life..good reason to not be too judgemental. I hope this man has found some happiness out on his farm!

misterreereeder said...

I think you ar looking at this from different angles ... and there are always different angles!!! Is change good??? Not always for everybody - but sometimes for somebody. I can hear how you wish the best for your old friend who has moved on from the nursury.

Meadowview Thymes said...

Good point mr! I bet Grumpy is much happier now..and that is important. I can find flowers most anywhere. Thanks--well said! :)