Lilies in Summer

Who knew flowers were such great conversation starters? And I don't mean flowers starting to talk to me, but rather what happened on the bus on my way back home.

Having won the raffle at our office for week-old flowers, consisting of white gladiolus, purple roses, and pink Peruvian lilies, I get on the bus and sit between two men. One the one side, an older African-American man (Man 2) wearing a 2008 Beijing Olympics cap ( how fitting for the occasion) and on the other side  a middle-age Filipino (Man 1) man. Both admire the flowers and the following conversation ensues (although much better than what I remember):

Man 1:Nice flowers. Put them in water when you get home.
Me: Yes.
Man 2: Hmmph. As if you didn't know how to do that already! Why he tellin' you that for?
Me: Maybe some people don't have that common knowledge?
Man 1: Are these flowers for you or someone else?
Me: For me and my roommate.
Man 1: Very nice. My uncle has a house with a garden and lots of flowers. You like flowers?
Me: Yes. I try to get fresh flowers weekly from the Farmer's Market.
Man 2: Where do you get gladious from this time of year?
Me: I don't know. I got these from work.

By this point, Man 1 is telling me about where he lives, how much he pays for his apartment, about wanting to buy a house, and a bunch of other things that were providing me with way too much information. I smile and nod and agree to owning my own property with a garden one day.

Man 2: Do you write?
Me: Not as much as I'd like to. Why?
Man 2: You should.
Me: Well, I actually have a blog where I write about interactions I have with strangers- like this. This conversation would be blog material.
Man 2: Lilies in Summer. That would be a good title to start off a story.
Me: Do you write?
Man 2: Yes. I used to. It's been a while.
Me: What do you write? Fiction, non-fiction, poetry?
Man 2: A little bit of everything, but its been a while. Haven't been inspired. Waiting on my muse.
Me: Interesting that you are waiting on a muse. I recently heard an author speak about creativity coming from outside yourself versus inside yourself, and how the anciet Romans and Greeks always ascribed works of art to a higher power- a muse.
Man 2: Oh yes. Definitely. She gives me creativity and inspiration?
Me: She?
Man 2: My muse.
Me: So it's a She?
Man 2: It's always a She. But She hasn't visited in a while. I might have upset her or something. But I've been waking up at 3:15 AM in the mornings, and I think She's getting ready to visit me again.
Me: You never know. Maybe you'll wake up tomorrow morning and be inspired to write something. Better have a pen and paper at hand.
Man 2: Oh yes. I'll do that and remember you. Gotta write down what She tells me. If not, She'll go to someone else.
Me: You also have to give yourself time.

In the meantime, we reach Man 1's bus stop. He gets up to leave, wishes me a good evening, asks me my name, says "Nice to meet you" and walks off the bus.

Man 2: That was a nice ending. "Nice to meet you." That's a good ending to a story.

I talk a bit more with Man 2, listening to him speak about Her and how writing is a spiritual process, how he needs to get back to writing, and how I should be writing as well. We get to my stop, I get up to leave:

Me: Here's my stop. What was your name?
Man 2: Max ( or Mac or Marc, didn't hear it too well)
Me: Well, nice to meet you.

Pet Turtles

It's been almost two years since I've posted, but the following conversation today is the reason for this blog's rebirth.

On my way to meet a friend for some iced beverages, this happened:

Tall, cap, glasses dude walking towards me on the street: Excuse me, do you know where there's a pet store around here?

Me: A pet store? As in a Petco for pet food or a store that actually sells animals?

Tall, cap, glasses dude: An actual pet store where they sell animals.

Me: In downtown DC? I have no idea? Did someone tell you it's around here?

Tall, cap, glasses dude: No, but I figured there's a lot of stores this way and I've been walking for a while. If I continue walking, would I find one?

Me: No. Not here.Just clothing stores and restaurants.

Tall, cap, glasses dude: Well, here's the story. I pet-sat my friend's turtle and we bonded so now I want a turtle of my own.

Me: Ok. That's understandable, but no pet stores around here that sell turtles. Maybe ask the Zoo? Or the Humane Society?

Tall, cap, glasses dude: I thought I'd ask you since you look like you like animals. Do you have pets?

Me: Yes, a cat, but not in DC.

Tall, cap, glasses dude: So no experience with turtles?

Me: No. Sorry.

Tall, cap, glasses dude: Ok. I guess I can just look up the Humane Society and give them a call. Or go by the Zoo with my backpack and see what I find.

Me: Well, good luck.