A little drought and a new garden

The drought is something people still talk about. In fact, it is at least the second thing to come up in any conversation. Mostly among those who lived through it. The drought was town history. Something the people of a small town could relate to. It went on for well over a year. Likewise, it became part of the official town history. Hardly any town council meetings went by without some mention of the lingering drought.

With this in mind, one of the reasons the small town survived, was the water shipments. Near the end of the long dry spell, the town council voted to begin shipping in the much needed water. Maybe that’s one reason no one ever noticed the new garden. At least, as far as Wesley knew, no one ever noticed it. No one talked about it, even though it was plainly visible for the whole town to see. In fact, the drought was such a common talking point, the thought of a thriving garden didn’t seem to matter.

At first it didn’t seem all that strange. Most droughts are well underway before anyone even suspects the lack of rain is something worse. Therefore, a lush and exceedingly vibrant garden didn’t arouse any suspicion at first. Well, that isn’t entirely accurate. Wesley lived next door to the house with the new garden. He remembers the day it was created. Remembers it well. One day there were rows and rows of freshly tilled earth. The very next day, there was a new, fully grown, garden.

A Little Drought

Although Wesley thought he might be losing his mind, there could be no denying the overnight transformation. Furthermore, he never saw his neighbor. It wasn’t that he didn’t see who planted the garden. He didn’t see any activity at all. The house was pristine and obviously well maintained. But by whom? That was the twenty dollar question. Therefore, it felt more than disconcerting when the garden plot appeared and was fully grown, one day later.

Twenty twenty hindsight is a real thing. And it’s especially sobering when it reveals inconvenient truths. One late afternoon, six months into the drought, Wesley sat staring at the beautiful and luscious, garden next door. The town council meeting is still fresh on his mind. The council declared a town emergency. They were in a drought. It wasn’t necessarily breaking news. Between the dried up lawns (everywhere the grass and shrubs were brown) and the sinking levels of the lakes and creeks, it was painfully obvious.

However, right next door to Wesley, there is a garden that is extraordinary. Furthermore, he can’t think of a single time that he’s seen anyone watering it. There’s been no rain. And now the town council declares a drought. They estimate it’s been ongoing for at least five months. Wesley stares at the beautifully fresh garden with its ripened harvest. It’s been here for at least five months. Therefore, this garden, defies all logic.

The More Things Change

The new garden wasn’t a town secret. Wesley lived next door to the house with the garden. Both properties were within the town limits. In fact, the house with the garden was a corner lot. The garden was visible from the road. One would think it would get some notice through the winter months. Especially with the drought. However, winters are mild in this part of the country.

That might explain why no one talked about the garden, but Wesley knew there had to be more to it than that. Gardens don’t grow year round. Particularly during a drought. The fact that he still hadn’t seen anyone tending it, notwithstanding. It was right next door. Of course it felt odd that he hadn’t seen anyone in the garden for over a year. Yet the ripened fruits and vegetables are always gone by the evening.

For several years Wesley has lived here. Furthermore, he remembers the day the realtor took down the for sale sign on the house next door. At first he thought his neighbor might be the introverted type. But as time went on, he began to wonder. Then, just over a year ago, the garden appeared. Right about the same time as the drought .

When In Drought

The front door is solid and there are no sidelights. Therefore, he can’t see inside the house. Similarly, all the windows have blinds. He rings the doorbell again, and stares openly at the camera doorbell. He hopes whoever lives here recognizes him. Someone must know he’s here. It’s a covered porch, and the day is hot from the early summer weather. Maybe he’s got this all wrong.

As he stands at the front door in the late afternoon heat a strange thought enters his mind. What if no one is meant to know? The thought is so strange, he almost laughs out loud. Yet, as he stands here, he senses all is not as it appears to be. Then another thought enters his mind. The one about curiosity and the cat.

It was as if the thoughts were being pushed into his mind. Maybe he should reconsider. Leave well enough alone. Now the invasive feeling of thoughts pushed into his mind, grows. He decides whatever he came here to do, can wait for another time. Then, turning to leave, he hears the lock on the door click. He turns back around to face the opening door. His next thought is entirely his own, I should’ve left when I had the chance. ~ _{^{To be continued}}

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