Stalk

One of the sunflower plants slumped, broken, bent, noticed as I drove out this morning. Yes, it did turn out to be one of those days. When I got home at 1830, I watered the back garden, and cut down most of the mangled stalk, salvaging the flowers I could.

Several days ago, D watched a guy shaking one of the sunflowers. He carried a jar of mayonnaise and an open ice cream carton, and was shouting. D urged him on "Dude! Leave it alone." After some more shouting, he did. Walked a few steps away, and put the ice cream on his head. The next day, we heard more shouting, and our next door neighbors were out front, minding their own business. But they said the apartment owner had been antagonizing the same guy. When he stopped at our sunflowers, he grabbed one and shook it. I called out to him "Please leave it alone, they aren't hurting you." He shouted at me a bit, then stomped off, still shouting.

So, when I saw the damage this morning, all I could think was the same guy fought the sunflower, and won. Maybe. When I cut it down, and pulled the stalk away, I was left roughened and slightly rashed. Serious defenses on 'em. So, they may have gotten in their own on crazy guy. Tidy, 50ish, Eastern European accent, small and clean, but apparently seeing a hostile world beyond normal apprehension. Psychotic break, presumably.

Part of me is amazed it was only one damaged. Although this neighborhood is fairly safe, we do have quite a mix of humanity. From the moderately well off, to the managing fine, the steady poor, to the unstable poor, to the homeless, the crazy, the addicted, the pushers. All walking by on the way to the supermarket. Much like where I grew up, so it's very familiar. No false sense of security, we lock our doors, but stuff left on the porch stays there, with a few rare exceptions.