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1940

Abstract

It would be too much beauty to manage if they bloomed year-round. The sight of these trees is overwhelming, and I'm glad they only bloom once a year. Something to look forward to every spring."</p><p id="5a22">Ray nodded reluctantly and noticed the stranger still giving them the evil eye, now even more intensely. Then, thinking about Dylan's suggestion, he put all his energy into the Yoshino Cheery, admiring its delicate bloom and height, its fallen petals that looked like large pink snowflakes on the ground.</p><p id="65d3">"Because these trees are very delicate and frail, are they difficult to grow?" asked Ray.</p><p id="cf0a">"No," Dylan said. "Looks can be deceiving. They are fairly easy to grow. Just put them in a location with full sunlight and some well-drained soil, and they'll flourish."</p><p id="f7ed"><b>The two continued to gaze upon the beautiful trees, getting lost in their sensuous appeal, completely forgetting about the creepy stranger across the way.</b></p><p id="24ed">Upon finishing their lunch, the stranger approached. Ray didn’t know what to expect but smiled.</p><p id="c018">“Sir, you have dropped your wallet,” the stranger said.</p><p id="7297">“Oh, thank you,” Ray replied, picking up his wallet.</p><p id="99b8">The stranger quickly moved on while the two friends continued to sit, scanning the park, looking only at the rows of cherry trees that lined the West Potomac.</p><p id="4fb6">Dylan turned to Ray. “The world is still beautiful regardless of your troubles.”</p><p id="6638">Ray nodded in agreement.</p><p id="ee98">© 2021 <a href="undefined">Mark Tulin</a></p><div id="8096" class="link-block"> <a href="https://mftulin.medium.com/membership"> <div> <div> <h2>Join Medium with my referral link - Mark Tulin</h2> <div><h3>undefined</h3></div> <div><p>undefined</p></div> </div>

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<div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*QotxzNWd_EnP6mE1)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="8c86">Please enjoy two more works by Mark Tulin:</p><div id="14f6" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/the-dream-tree-a8244ddc4a39"> <div> <div> <h2>The Dream Tree</h2> <div><h3>Its story and legacy</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*[email protected])"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="dd78" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/off-the-writing-path-9e2fd9d11612"> <div> <div> <h2>Off the Writing Path</h2> <div><h3>The dove — geese and me</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*BnckZGdS2rU7Fhi38SQs1A.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="4e22" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/write-for-the-lark-525aba334680"> <div> <div> <h2>Write for The Lark</h2> <div><h3>Submission guidelines for a short story and poetry publication</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*ozt7BP__wDxNylJnDZLoDg.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

FLASH FICTION

Glorious Blossoms From Japan

And the stranger in the park

Cherry blossoms in D.C. Photo by Tessa Rampersad on Unsplash

Two old friends walked along a D.C. park on a pleasant Sunday afternoon. They stopped for a while, found a bench, and had lunch.

"I'm impressed," said Ray, taking a bite from a cheese sandwich. "You seem so unperturbed by that stranger across the way giving us the evil eye."

"No big deal," said Dylan, chewing on an apple. "My Grandma taught me a trick when I was young. She said that when anyone gives you the stinky eye, as she called it, never look back. Instead, set your glance straight ahead at something beautiful, and this will wash away anything evil."

Dylan admired the bloom of the cherry blossoms during the spring and inhaled its faint fragrance.

"Isn't it a blessing to have the beauty of cherry blossoms every year? A long time ago, the Japanese gifted America 3,000 such trees in exchange for flowering dogwoods."

Ray listened but was preoccupied with the stranger in the dark sweater, continuing his awful stare and wondering why he was so intent on focusing on them. Was the man insane? Or was there something about Dylan and me that reminded him of someone he disliked?

"You know," said Dylan, "the blossom only lasts for a month every spring, and some trees for one or two weeks."

"Yeah, it's a shame they don't bloom longer. Cherry Blossoms are quite a spectacle."

Dylan laughed. "I wouldn't want it any other way. It would be too much beauty to manage if they bloomed year-round. The sight of these trees is overwhelming, and I'm glad they only bloom once a year. Something to look forward to every spring."

Ray nodded reluctantly and noticed the stranger still giving them the evil eye, now even more intensely. Then, thinking about Dylan's suggestion, he put all his energy into the Yoshino Cheery, admiring its delicate bloom and height, its fallen petals that looked like large pink snowflakes on the ground.

"Because these trees are very delicate and frail, are they difficult to grow?" asked Ray.

"No," Dylan said. "Looks can be deceiving. They are fairly easy to grow. Just put them in a location with full sunlight and some well-drained soil, and they'll flourish."

The two continued to gaze upon the beautiful trees, getting lost in their sensuous appeal, completely forgetting about the creepy stranger across the way.

Upon finishing their lunch, the stranger approached. Ray didn’t know what to expect but smiled.

“Sir, you have dropped your wallet,” the stranger said.

“Oh, thank you,” Ray replied, picking up his wallet.

The stranger quickly moved on while the two friends continued to sit, scanning the park, looking only at the rows of cherry trees that lined the West Potomac.

Dylan turned to Ray. “The world is still beautiful regardless of your troubles.”