Who Brought the Flowers?

Like most members of the male species, I am somewhat intimidated when it comes to anything involving flowers.

Some people can speak about bouquets, a flower arrangement, and floral centerpieces with authority. Me, I couldn’t tell you the difference between a gardenia and a geranium if my life depended upon it.

Most men, when they think about flowers, only do so for occasions such as Valentines Day, a birthday or an anniversary. And these guys are really missing the boat, because there are a multitude of situations where flowers are the answer to a prayer.

Back in my single days, I was invited for dinner at the home of the parents of a girl I was dating. About all I knew of this girl’s family was that on the occasions when everyone gathered for dinner, it tended to be a somewhat formal occasion. Not wanting to arrive empty handed, panic was starting to set in as I agonized over what to bring.

A bottle of wine seemed to be an obvious choice, until it hit me that I had no idea if her parents were teetotalers. Then I considered stopping at a bakery for a nice dessert, which seemed like a good idea until I thought about what kind of reception I would receive if I chose something that they didn’t like, or worse yet were allergic to.

Right about that time, I happened to be driving by a florist shop, and my problem was solved!

I remember my girlfriend telling me that her mother and father spent a lot of their free time working in their flower garden. Her mother had even won prizes at local arts and craft shows for her flower arrangements.

I went into the florist’s explained my situation, and the lady working there put together a floral centerpiece that, when I gave it to my girlfriend’s folks, made me the hit of the night!

The next time you attend a dinner party, a cookout, or any type of family gathering, you will notice that no one really cares who brought the wine, or where the dessert came from.

On the other hand, you’ll hear many people asking where the flowers came from. Flower arrangements, bouquets, floral centerpieces, anything involving flowers will make you a star.