String Theory

Earlier this spring, I started putting out my 4 deck flower boxes. In the past, I’ve done it all in one day, but this year it was more piecemeal. I bought the flowers over 2 weekends and didn’t have time to put them all in. I also had overwintered begonias in the house to move outside, and I wanted to be sure of the weather for them. Also, work stress has made me even more scatterbrained than usual, which is a tiny bit scary, but we’ll leave that anxiety for another post.

The 4 flower boxes sit on braces hooked to the railing. The braces only have shallow curved ends, and since I’m on the second floor, I worry that when the plants get tall, the wind could pitch them over into my neighbors patio. I don’t know if that is rational or not, but to make myself feel better I tie string around them and the railing. Not terribly substantial I know, but they haven’t pitched over yet, so that’s what I’m going with.

I set out three of the four boxes over the 2 weekend days, and during the week I realized they weren’t tied with the strings. I thought I had tied them, but like I said, I’m somewhat distracted, so I tied the strings on, and the next weekend I put in the 4th box and the string, I thought. Then the weather got cool and I didn’t sit out on the deck for a while. When I finally did, some of the strings were missing. Now I was really getting worried about my mental health. I was fairly sure I had tied the 3 boxes but the 4th one didn’t have any string, so maybe I forgot that one?

I took a deep breath and then deliberately, methodically tied string and made sure all 4 boxes had them. Buddha woudda been proud how present I was with those strings. I looked at them and willed my brain to remember that I had done it. Then I checked the next morning.

2 strings were gone. Aaaah-HA! I’m not crazy, or not any more crazy than usual. Phew what a relief. But that meant someone was taking the strings. It was prime nest building time, so I tied more strings and left some out on the table. I’m all for naychuh, but give a stressed gardener a break.

The next morning I looked out the window and there was a robin, perched on the railing, presumably the string taker. It was looking straight at me. “So it’s been you,” I said out loud. I’m not a huge fan of robins and I’m a tad on the crabby side, so I was thinking less about helping out the bird and more along the lines of, “So, you stinking thief, you decided to show your face at last, huh? Gloat that you made me feel crazy for a couple of weeks? Is that what this is all about?” And I still set out more string. I’m a jerk, but not that much of a jerk.

And the next day all the string was still there, on the boxes and the table. I think the little bahstid was just coming to say it had all the string it needed, and to thank me.

Fine be that way. I’m on to you now, ya little bahstid. Next year I’ll try to leave out extra string, unless stealing them from the boxes is more fun. That is, if I remember.