Cacti At The Sidewalk

Evenings at the sidewalk are rarely this pleasant. She admires men dressed in yellow and pink in pursuit of the most delicate and aromatic flowers. Sinatra's one for my baby is playing near the pond by some young college boys to charm irises. The marigolds are trying to lose some petals and grow thorns in their stems like roses. Orchids and lilies mock marigolds for lacking dignity. The sidewalk is full of colours and men, courtesies to the much awaited rain. It's said that once when it didn't rain for a long time men had to resort to seeking flowers from even cacti. However she personally finds it ironical for during her encounters with men they mostly seem jeopardised by her. She finds lilies crass for they talk about feminism all day long but are always seeking validation. She senses a new cultural transformation these days wherein flowers no longer want to grow thorns. 

Once upon a time, even lilies were desperate to be called roses but it was only after orchids came that they learnt how being a rose was painful and unfair. Lilies have now come a long way and are always spreading awareness on how growing thorns is not healthy anymore. Cacti's mother used to say her thorns add to her strength and just like roses make her beautiful too. She is very fond of roses because of their thorns and colours. There is a hierarchy of flowers established in the sidewalk by men. Here the flowers are ranked on the basis of their colours, sizes, fragility, aroma and texture. Roses and cactus have never been a part of it for almost opposite reasons. Flowers trade their lives with variety of insects like caterpillars, butterflies and even worms to be ranked higher on that list. Lilies and orchids are at the top of this trading business nowadays for their flawless texture and vibrant colours. 

 Marigolds and roses are generally preferred by men who come from conservative backgrounds while orchids and lilies are sought by liberal men. With men progressing towards a more western society marigolds are slowly losing demand and are heading towards their tragic end near the sidewalk. She used to like marigolds, used to find them cute but not anymore. Sadly, she feels lilies and orchids are forcing everyone here to be like them which is only turning all the flowers weaker, at least the pain in growing thorns used to teach them how to face suffering. She wants to share this with everyone but she fears hurting other flowers with her thorns.

Cacti likes observing all these characters rolling in the park and finds many men here appealing, however, her conscience senses something weary about growing flowers and makes her grow another thorn on her face.