The Will of 1 Lone Petunia

Sometimes, something hits you that makes an impact. In my case it’s this picture I took Aug.22, 2019 of this petunia growing through the cracks of cobblestone and amongst the filth of Port Credit, Ontario.This is where I live.  Supposedly it’s supposed to be the pride of Mississauga, “The Village by the Lake”, touts itself as “Always on, Always Electric”, with a bustling business and a cultural district.  Well I beg to differ.  The filth on the streets is shameful.  Just ask this Petunia growing amongst garbage.  The poor little thing, it’s so beautiful and vibrant.   The little dirt it has to grow in is between the cracks of the pavement.  It’s amongst cigarette butts, bottle caps, half-eaten food, and it’s only inches away from the spanking brand new garbage containers the city spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to place there.  Does it help, well look at the pictures, I think not.  I feel like digging it up, like someone else I know who did this to a “plant” that made an impression.

Picture This:

Coach of the Boston Bruins and his star defenseman Mike Milbury drove into Boston everyday together for practices and games. They always commented about this lone tall weed growing through the cement by the guardrails in the middle of Highway Route 1. They admired it’s tenacity, will to live, and to thrive under harsh conditions.  They watched it grow and grew fond of it.  One day they saw the public works people cleaning up the highway’s garbage and they knew their weed was doomed.  They believed their weed deserved a better fate. Believe me, this highway is like no other.  The traffic is going very fast, yet it has driveways to get into restaurants and stores directly from it.  No buffer and not for the faint of heart drivers. They risked their lives to save this plant.  Happily, they got it home and Dad planted it in my mother’s well-manicured garden where he thought it would be happy and thrive. However, this story does not have a happy ending.  My mother, not knowing about Dad’s weed, (I think), pulled it out and into the garbage it went.  I remember my Father saying, no matter how strong anything is, it’s no match for Rose.  No truer words said.

For those of you who have never heard the song, check out one of my favorite clips from the old TV show 6 Feet Under. (Don’t know what that is in meters, and yes I have sung this song).  It’s relative to many things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPcrwSEdj7Y