Yes, I stole something. The first time in my life, and it was surprisingly easy.
My home doesn’t have anything growing in it, if you discount the mold on the cheese in the frig. No plants, no vines, no flowers. Yes, I have plastic stuff but I need something that changes and grows, with leaves that stand straight up or droop. And since I use my bike for transportation, I can’t bring a plant home. Anyway, all the stores are selling poinsettas now, which isn’t what I want.
Sitting in my favorite leather chair at the coffee shop, I took a long look at the vine cascading down the wall. Then I fingered a leaf. Yes, it is real. And live. And green. Glancing around I could see that the shop was full but no one was looking my way. Sometimes it is OK to be an ‘invisible older woman.” And I reached up and used my nails to snap off a 3 inch piece of vine.
Quickly I dropped my hand to the floor and again, glanced around. No one noticed. So I put the cutting into a newspaper on my lap and folded it, then stuffed in my backpack. Calmly I replaced the back pack on the floor and picked up my coffee. No one paid any attention. It’s that easy. Now the clipping is on my benchtop, with stem floating in water.
Will I do it again? No. Next time I will ask the owner if I can have a clipping. I don’t like being a thief. It’s not in my DNA. But I have a plant that I named Houdini.