Silver Trowel

“What do you think?” Thema looked at her friend, Drea as they looked at Thema’s garden in the front yard of her house.

“Thema your garden is beautiful. Do you think that you will win the Silver Trowel award this year?” 

“I am going to try. You know that Ayanan has won it five years in a row and I am so glad that she is not entering this contest this year. It’s time to give someone else a chance.” Thema replied.

Drea was so jealous. The only thing that seemed to grow in her garden was weeds. She would give anything to actually grow any color of a flower like Thema can. 

“Lets go inside and get some lemonade.” Thema said walking up the three steps on the porch.

“Right behind you.” 

“I thought that they would never leave.” Red rose said to the other roses.

“Me too. Do you think that we are actually beautiful enough to win this year? I thought that we should have won last year. Thema worked so hard on the garden and growing us but she didn’t win.” Red rose asked the other roses nearby. 

“I certainly believe that we have enough beauty to light up the night skies.” Purple rose replied, blowing in the calm breeze.

“ Purple, I like your attitude.” Red rose responded.

“Now that other lady is out of the competition maybe the judges will realize that we are the winners.” Yellow rose said.

“Yellow rose you really think so?” White rose asked.

“Yes, we are the winning roses this year. Thema really out did herself this year with us. I will admit that some of last year’s roses were beautiful too but we really got it going on.” White rose continued.

“I am loving this breeze too. I love spring breezes.”  Purple rose said as the breeze gently moved her back and forth. 

“Me too.” Yellow rose agreed.

“Oh here they come.” Purple rose said.

“You know that Thema can’t hear us right?”

“Yeah, I don’t know about that.” Yellow rose responded.

“Really? If she could hear us she would be answering us when we talk to her.” 

“Oh, White rose maybe she just doesn’t know what to say back.” Purple rose answered. 

“The way Thema likes to talk she would be talking back if she could hear us for sure.”  White rose said.

“But, let's test that theory. If we talk and she answers us we will know if she can hear us.” Red rose chimed in.

“Oh here she comes now.” White rose said.

“ Hi Thema. What’s happening?” Yellow rose said to Thema as she hovered close to the roses. 

“Did you hear that?” Thema said to her friend, Drea.

“Hear what, Thema?” 

“I think that roses are talking to me. Shush. Maybe they will do it again.” 

“Thema, I think you spent too much time in the sun. You are losing it with this contest. Flowers can’t talk.” 

“Yes we can.” White rose said.

“Did you hear that?” Thema said.

“Thema maybe you have had enough of the garden today because now you are hearing things.” Drea said.

“Drea don’t look at me like that. Like I am losing my mind. But, maybe I am. I have been in this garden for hours each day trying to make it look pretty enough to win the award this year so maybe I have gotten too much sun. I am going to go in and take a nap. I will see you later. And Drea please don’t mention this to anyone that I am hearing voices in the garden. My family will think I am nuts.” Thema laughed and went back inside her yellow and white house.

“See she can hear us.”  Yellow rose said.

“All the good it does she thinks she’s nuts.” Pink rose said. 

If the roses could laugh they certainly would. 

The next day Thema was out in her garden again with her gardening tools in hand and water hose nearby to weed and water her plants. The contest was ending in a day and the judging would begin the next day first thing in the morning and Thema wanted to be ready. She pulled on her gardening gloves up on her hands and kneeled down in the dirt as she had done a million times before and tended to her roses. She pulled some tiny almost invisible weeds from the dirt near them and brushed some dirt off of her gardening jeans. 

“I swear I heard you beauties talking to me yesterday.” Thema said to her beautiful roses.

“But, I know that flowers can’t talk but if you beauties did I know what you would say. You would say Thema, this year we are winning this contest. We will have bragging rights for a whole year and they way your babies look maybe two years in a row. We are Thema’s beauties.” Thema stood up and proceeded to get the hose to splash some water on what she hoped to be her prize winning roses.

“Thema, we will win that award for you this year.” Purple rose said.

“Damn right! We will.” Thema said smiling at her roses.

“Thema, are you ready for the contest?” Drea shouted as she came from her house across the street to Thema’s yard. 

“Yep, I am ready and so are Thema’s beauties.” 

“Thema’s beauties? Thema don’t tell me that you think the roses are talking to you again?” Drea said looking worried.

“No, Drea, I am not saying that. I just know that these beauties are going to win this year.” 

“Well, I found out from my sources, big mouth Rosell, that the judges are going to be here at your house around 3pm tomorrow. So, be ready. I know you are going to win.” 

“Thanks Drea. I hope so too. I just finished weeding and watering and fertilizing so we are good to go. Aren’t they beautiful?” Thema asked her friend

“Yes, they are.” Drea said lowering her sunglasses off of her face.

The next day Thema was outside bright and early. She was wearing her best yellow dress and her white flats. She curled her short greyish hair and let the soft curls frame her face. She wanted to look good for when they placed that silver trowel in her hands. She figured since the judges were coming so late that she must be the last house on their list. 

Thema was outside at 2pm waiting and talking to her beauties in the garden. She told them that even if they didn’t win they were her beauties.

“Yes, we certainly are.”  White rose responded.

“I didn’t hear that.” Thema laughed.

At 3pm on the dot the judges arrived. Thema knew two of the four judges from her church. The other two women she didn’t recognize. But, they introduced themselves from The Raytown Home and Beauty Magazine. They were the editors for the home and garden section and were invited to judge the contest.

“Well, here are my beauties. I call them Thema’s beauties.” Thema said as she smiled at her roses.

“Roses do your thing. Make Mama proud.” Thema whispered to her flowers. 

She could have sworn that the pink one winked at her. But, there she goes again she thought being in the sun too long. She chuckled to herself at the thought and waited for the judges to finish the judging. She watched as they walked around the garden and looked closely at all the roses. One judge even took out a magnifying glass and inspected all of the roses closely. Thema didn’t know why she needed such a close look because her roses were flawless. She stood there and watched and waited. She hoped she would win.

The judges stepped back from the garden and they huddled in a small circle and spoke in low voices and looked at yellow legal notepads. One of the women from the church scribbled something down on one of the pads. Thema wished she knew what they were saying and what they were writing. But, she had no clue.

A few minutes later the judges turned facing Thema and just than her friend, Drea had come over from across the street. Thema could not tell from their faces if they had good news or bad news. She held her breath and grabbed her best friend’s hand and waited. One of the judges finally spoke. Thema took a deep breath and closed her eyes squeezing her friends hand a little too hard.

“Well, Thema you have a beautiful garden and excellent roses. You have really outdone yourself this year.” The head judge said, smiling.

“Thema, you are this year’s winner of the silver trowel award. Congratulations.” The judge continued. 

“I won!” Thema screamed jumping up and down like she had just won the Publisher’s Clearing House million dollars. 

Drea was right there jumping with her and screaming too. Both women were screaming so loudly that Thema didn’t hear her beauties cheering right along with her. All the roses were cheering and if they could jump up and down they would be doing that too. 

When the judges left and Thema had her award in her hand and all the pictures were taken for the magazine and the local paper Thema turned to her beauties and thanked them for growing so beautifully and they will always be Thema’s beauties forever. 

The pink rose winked at her again. Thema winked back.