FOR VAL'S

Their hands just never stopped trying to grapple with my family.
Humbly  we all stood in a beautiful vase, all pretty and made from porcelain.
I have lived wild in the fields all my life and I have never been in the city. Just when I thought I would grace Miss Prima’s wedding as a part of her beautiful bridal bouquet, I got dug right out of the ground without a moment left to breathe. My roots- oh yes; they did try to save me. They held on very tightly to Mother Ground with all they could. It was what they had been training to do. They were my best friends. They were the ones that always ensured that I had a geed supply of nutrients from Mother Ground anytime I needed a health boost. Still, I cannot quite blame them. When man employs the use of a shovel, I have no choice but to comply. I was not the one at the top of the food chain anyway.
So here I stood, with the rest of my siblings, in this flower shop on 51st street just after the intersection. I was in the window display, and for the first time I could see the humans clearly as they gazed into the windows to peer at me...well, and all the others. I have to admit- I was a pretty awesome-looking rose. I had the best crimson petals in the whole bunch, and my leaves and stalk were so green I was being considered to become an advocate for health and counselling to all those unfortunate flowers that seemed to just wither with the appearance of a simple weather change. My thorns were sharper than for the others, so surely I could fend for myself.
This had been an unfortunate turn of events.
To make it worse, it was Valentine’s Day.
All kinds of starcrossed people were entering here today, making large orders of flowers to be sent to their loved ones. Two of my closest friends had already gone in a bouquet with a couple of tulips and a bunch of daisies. How on earth was I supposed to go on in the same bouquet with daisies? My beauty was simply incomparable. I was feeling down.
A huge man walked into the shop. He wore a dark coat, and there was stubble on his chin. I was dismayed at the site of him. I got further dismayed when the store keeper started to walk towards my vase, all eyes set on me.
“How many do you want?” she bellowed at the man.
“Half a dozen,” the man replied.
I looked around and did a small count. There were only a dozen roses left in this vase, including me. There was no way I was ending up in someone’s house. I’d heard that the flowers that got there simply never made it beyond two weeks.
Her hand reached out to grab the stalks. I inched a bit deeper and slanted away into the vase. The huge fingers missed me by just a whisker, and instead caught one of my friends. I refused to feel remorse. It was the law of the jungle, and everyone had to look out for themselves.
I watched as their stalks were cut off...never to join Mother Earth again so as to grow better- destined for subsequent decay.
A lady dressed in red came into the shop, her shrill voice almost deafening to even the deaf.
“I need a dozen roses, Miriam!” she called to the store keeper.
“The roses are nearly finished, Miss Faye...perhaps you could try another shop...”
Yes, go away, I thought.
“Would  be here if I could find them somewhere else?”
Please don’t listen to her, please, I prayed.
The store keeper leaned against the wooden structure that supported some vines and said, “I have just a dozen left.”
I couldn't take the pain of doing another count. It was extremely obvious that there were only six of us left. I had to think fast- really fast. I could see her headed for us. There was no giving in- even if the pain was going to be great. I was already slanted into the vase.
This was going to hurt. A lot.
There was no time to think about that. I pushed further inside, and with all the energy I used, I felt myself literally snap, just below the sepals. I, Queen of the Roses, had just snapped my stem just below the sepals.
How embarrassing!
“This one is damaged,” the store keeper announced.
I felt her let me go, and I slumped back into the vase. Well, close shave. I was in a bit of pain, but I was really glad I was escaping the silly Val’s day traditions. A rose by any name may be a rose, but I was not some discredited love mascot.
I had to give myself some credit. I was pretty sharp.
“Just give me that damaged one as well,” Miss Faye’s sneery voice rang.