Everyone Has Something That's Important To Them

This morning I went out on my usual mildly nefarious activities.

I've been salvaging empty pots and seedling trays and such from yet another defunct South Florida nursery.

The old nursery owners would have been happy to have me do the salvage after they'd moved. They told me it took a long time to get rid of a bunch of that stuff. I screwed up and waited too late, and they'd transferred title before I asked them if I could salvage.

The developers will be bulldozing soon.

Like any good ex-Midwestern kid, I soon found a place to sneak in through a break in the chain link fence. No more hopping over barbed wire, yay! This new route involves winding around some woods, then walking uncomfortably close to some folks' back yards.

It's just a brief stretch. But an elderly gentleman who doesn't miss much - who owns one of those back yards - spotted me my first day, 1/1/06, and every time since.

A few weeks ago, I saw him watching me. I said, Hi! He wanted to know what I was doing. I told him, --Collecting pots and stuff. Things that got left behind and blown around by the hurricane. Did it bother him? --Well, it doesn't belong to you. --I know. But it's just trash. No one wants it, it's just going to get thrown away. I hope you don't mind.

Today I saw him again.

He was standing behind some dense trees and brush, watching me. Hidden. I said, Hi!

He told me I'd been there every Sunday morning since New Year's Day. Didn't I have enough yet?

I said, Well, I'm sprouting a lot of plants. All those hurricane plants, my whole yard got killed off, and we all need new plants now. I'm disabled, I need to have a hobby, and I feel like I'm doing something worth doing here.

He said, --Well, everyone has something that's important to them.

I said, --Yes. And this is important to me.

--But you shouldn't be taking things that don't belong to you.

--I know. I also know it's gonna get bulldozed.

--That doesn't mean it's all right.

--I know that. I know what I'm doing is wrong. I'm not supposed to trespass and take this stuff. I'm not pretending it's right. But if I have to go to jail I will, I'm willing to take the consequences of my actions. You can call the cops if you like.

--Oh.

He thought about that for a while.

I said, --Tell me if this makes you too uncomfortable. I'll stop right now. I'll put all this back and never come again. Just say the word. Let me know, OK?

He didn't say anything. Just stood there watching me.

After a few minutes I said, --Now, just to let you know, I also like to explore and to take pictures. The pots isn't the only reason I'm here. When you were a little kid didn't you like to go exploring on vacant land?

And finally got the very first grin out of him yet. It was fleeting, and he fought it back down and turned his head, walking away, but he didn't move quick enough. I saw that grin. Little kid! Oh! come on now! he was muttering.

Fleeting. But beautiful.