They Look Like Onions....

I was in the hardware store yesterday. I call it Orchid Surprise... Several years ago, I went there looking for marigolds for the front flowerbeds. As I walked in to the indoor plant area, I spotted beautiful lavender orchids. What a surprise....

Yesterday, I needed spackle. Long story, and not very interesting.... While I was there, I decided to look for bulbs. Narcissus bulbs. Paperwhites, if you will. I know I'm a little late planting them, but it couldn't be helped: I've been very busy!

Well, I finally found the bulb display, such as it was. The amaryllis bulbs were all gone. The individual narcissus bulbs were also all gone. All they had was a box with 4 bulbs, an ugly green, plastic pot, and some soil. For too much money.

Not what I wanted, so I didn't get it.

I decided later, in the early evening, to try again. Ever the optimist, I walked into the hardware store through the garden department. Maybe we can build something together, ya think? Alas, no bulbs of any kind.

Undeterred, I walked inside the store. A young man, restocking Christmas items, directed me to the next aisle over and pointed west, with his head. I hurried to the next aisle and found only Christmas lights of all types. No Paperwhites. No bulbs at all.

Bummer.

One last try. I decided to go to The Orange Place and see if they had turned up their doing dial. Again, I walked optimistically into the garden department. Again, I asked the young clerk if they had “bulbs, you know, Paperwhites?”

She looked at me blankly, as several other young people had already. Then, she had an inspiration: “Have you looked in Electrical?” I winced.

Just then, another young woman walked up, wearing her orange apron with her name written on it with a Sharpie pen. She didn't know where they were, either, because she has only worked at this store for two days. But, she did call the garden department manager......another very young man.

He suggested that I look right inside the store, where the indoor plants are displayed. And so, I did. Lo and Behold, they had bags of bulbs! I was able to purchase 12 paperwhites and 1 “Red Lion” amaryllis.

A total of six young people didn't know what I was talking about. One sent me to Christmas light bulbs, and another suggested the Electrical Department. The young woman who finally helped me find them said to Miss Electrical Department: “you know, they look like onions!”

As it turns out, I'm not too late to plant them. They've already sprouted in the bag.

Did I mention? I love Paperwhites....