Tuesday, September 11, 2007

A mystery

Update: After I posted this, I realized that I do, sort of, know one person in the city where the flowers were ordered. My new landlord. Who doesn't live here; he lives there. I met him person when he was in town two weeks ago, working on the house - he's a good landlord that way. But then he left, and that was that. And the florist found out that the order had come from a guy named [Name.] Which happens to be the name of my best friend, S., but he lives in London and wouldn't be sending me flowers out of the blue from a random city. The name has, well, the first three letters - and thus the same general sound - as my landlord's last name. So 50/50, it's him. The florist did, after all, completely mangle both my first and last name. Maybe they can't spell. Or hear.

But I damn well hope it's not the landlord - I'd find that a little creepy, noteless flowers. So today I emailed my landlord a friendly but distant note asking if the flowers were from him. I haven't heard back. My cell phone did just ring (it never does; I don't use it anymore), showing a number in the City of Flowers. I couldn't bring myself to answer it - and they didn't leave a message. Ah well, the drama continues.

I have received a delivery of purple flowers. With no card. It's not R - I checked with her (making her mildly jealous). I can't tell you how weird I find this.

I called the florist to ask whether they had a record of who ordered them. She told me that all she could see was that it came through a florist in [Canadian city].

?

I don't know anyone in that city. I once did, but they were the family of my ex - with whom I broke up six years ago.

So the florist is going to see if she can trace them. With no guarantees, of course.

I have to say that I find it a disconcerting feeling - something like being watched. There's also an element of discomfort because I don't know who to thank - and we are, of course, we good girls, meant to thank people for the flowers they give us.

Weeeeird.

9 comments:

PG said...

Well...there's the issue of who to thank. But, it's also a bit creepy.

medieval woman said...

Whoa, dearie - that is weird! I'm emailing you...

heu mihi said...

Verrry weird. I assume that your name was on the card or whatever? How incredibly strange.

squadratomagico said...

Hilaire's got and admirer! Hilaire's got an admirer! (to be read in a sing-song voice.)

My theory is that someone is totally smitten with you, but also really shy. Your Secret Admirer does not want to be identified... yet. Therefore YSA has asked a friend or family member to send the flowers from a different location, so as to conceal her true location, which probably is nearby. In fact, it seems likely to me that YSA lives or works in a place where she can observe you on the day the flowers arrive, to check for glow. Otherwise, the whole exercise would be too abstract.

OK, now I've spun out a whole theory.... clearly, I need to rein in my imagination.

gwoertendyke said...

can't wait to hear about the mystery flower-sender....keep us posted.

Hilaire said...

Squadrato - Well, if they were nearby (i.e. at the university, where I had the delivery rerouted), then they probably just saw my completely perplexed face and sensed my weirded-outness. I must say, there was no glow!

Anonymous said...

that is totally weird. i would be kinda freaked out, too. and, side note, what does it say that we live in an age when anonymous flowers aren't automatically a good thing????

Marcelle Proust said...

When I acquired my first piece of real estate, I got unexpected, anonymous flowers congratulating me on my new home. They were gorgeous, they fit my color scheme, and I had not the faintest idea who they could be from. I had no SO. There is no way my parents would spend money on such frivolity. All the friends I could think of denied any involvement. I decided it must have been my realtor . . . but then she denied it, too. TWO YEARS later I found out it was a friend from far away. She hadn't meant to be anonymous, but somebody screwed up the card. Maybe it's something like that for you. Just enjoy them.

gwoertendyke said...

YUK! Run from creepy landlords who send flowers. YUK>