The Volunteer Gardener

I’ll bet I’ve prob’ly told you ‘bout the garden down on Brady…the one across the street from Nell’s Café. I’m sure you must have noticed it. It’s really very pretty. In fact…I often take the longer way To and back from work on purpose - through the summer months - just so I can see it twice a day! People stop there all the time. Many take a picture, and some will even pick a small bouquet. I, for one, am not surprised to see so many locals stopping by to pluck a tiny spray. The colors are amazing, and the scent is like a dream…a truly unforgettable display. And rumor has it, widow Bliss…who’d always kept it up…would always tell the ones who’d try to pay, “What I grow is there for those who need them, for ‘occasions,’ and if you’d like to help yourself…you may.” I picked a few myself one time, and took them to the graveyard when I went out to see my folks, and pray. Well…now the garden’s looking pale, and I came close to crying when…after service…I heard someone say, “What do you suppose is going to happen to her garden…now that widow Bliss has passed away?”