More than a Plant

“Can you keep a secret,” Gabriel asked his son Dane? Dane paused for a moment and scratched his head as he considered what his father had just asked of him. Finally, Dane shook his head in agreement, looking at his father’s intense expression. With a strong inhale, Gabriel proceeded to tell Dane what he needed to know. “Son, you need to know what goes on behind the scenes here at the plant shop,” said Gabriel. Feeling uneasy, Dane looked around the rustic store and wondered what could possibly be happening at a simple plant business. Ignoring his son’s dismay, Gabriel continued, “as you know this plant store has been in the family for a long time, and that your grandfather once ran it. All those years ago he implemented a business that went on alongside the selling of plants. He could not make ends meet on sales alone and he was faced with his family starving. He found out from his friend Frank that he could start moving the cocaine Frank was moving across the state lines.” Frank was having a hard time moving his product and needed some help. “Your grandfather felt that he had no choice but to accept Frank’s offer. He was days away from having to close down the store,” said Gabriel. Dane interrupted with, “no way dad, that doesn’t sound like anything grandpa would have done!” 

With a solemn look, Gabriel told his son that it was true even if it is unbelievable. “It was such a big secret that even your grandmother never knew about it Dane,” said Gabriel. “I didn’t even know about the secret until one day I noticed one of the plants was in need of repotting. So, I took the aloe plant out of the small ceramic pot it was in and picked out a larger blue pot. When I gently pulled the plant out of the small container, I was shocked to see a small bag of powder fall out with it,” explained Gabriel. “My father who was watering a bunch of orchids, looked over after I gasped in shock. He angrily told me to hand over the tiny bag. Of course, I asked him what it was and at first, your grandfather just told me not to worry about it and went back to tending the beautiful orchids,” said Gabriel. 

“As you can imagine Dane, the answer your grandfather gave me was not enough for me. When he went off to the local home goods store to get some more potting soil, I decided to investigate. I could not find the same bag he took from me but I did hunt around for another one. Looking through all of the pots that were scattered across the shop. I found nothing until I went to the cluttered backroom and dug into the dirt of a fully bloomed sunflower. To my amazement, I found another bag, that looked just like the one my father had confiscated from me earlier. Curious, I opened it up and pinched a little in between my fingers. Still unsure of what it was, I sniffed it and started to sneeze as I accidentally breathed it in. I heard the door to the backroom slam shut and your grandfather rushed over to me and was yelling at me to put the bag down. Frightened, I tossed it onto the wooden table the sunflower was on. My father grasped onto my shoulders and shook me, asking why I had snooped around and smelled that substance. He proceeded to tell me that it was incredibly dangerous. He told me to blow my nose, hoping it wasn’t too late for I was only twelve years old at the time,” Gabriel told Dane. 

“After I blew my nose into a tissue and saw some of the powder come out, your grandfather told me to never do that again. I started to feel a little off, dizzy even and my nose was bleeding. He told me to go to my room and lay down with some tissue in my nose without explaining why. Reluctantly I went after he persisted. When I came back down for dinner, I was so hyper, it was uncomfortable. Your grandfather decided to tell your grandmother that I had gotten into the coffee earlier. Afraid to say something to the contrary, I kept my mouth shut, getting a lecture from my mother about avoiding my dad’s strong coffee,” Gabriel said with a crooked smile. 

“Three days later, while I was watering a cluster of tall plants by one of the front windows, my father came up and told me to follow him to the back. I walked behind him and we went all the way back to the large and beat up old safe. Something I was told to never attempt to open. Your grandfather opened the combination lock so fast, I could not keep track of the numbers. It opened with an ear-splitting grinding noise. Inside I saw stacks of money, and blocks of that same powder I had discovered days ago. Stammering, I asked him what that stuff was. He told me that I had to keep it a secret, it was of the utmost importance. He proceeded to tell me that it was a drug called cocaine and that although it was highly illegal he distributed it to clientele seeking a high along with their plant. I asked him with slight disbelief why he was doing this. I was concerned that he could go to jail for such a heinous crime. As you can imagine your grandfather explained to me that the plant business was just not enough to keep the family afloat and to keep the shop open. He told me that I couldn’t even tell my mother about this secret because he didn’t know how she would react. He pointed to the money and said to me that unfortunately, that the money was necessary and crucial to the family. I was then told that I was set to inherit this store and that he hoped I wouldn’t have to carry on the side business but that it would be tough to make it by on just the sale of plants alone. For Gregory, Ohio was not a large community of people. I told him that I wanted no part of this but that I would keep the secret to save him from being thrown in jail,” lamented Gabriel. 

Gabriel continued to tell Dane the story, “the years went by and as soon as I turned eighteen your grandfather clued me in on how to run the shop. He was still selling the drugs but I didn’t know yet that he was moving more than just cocaine at that point. For he kept the movement of the drugs out of the instruction of how to carry out the ownership of the store. It was not until I took over, that I was informed of the other types of paraphernalia that was being sold alongside the plants. Although I was angry with my father, I once again kept my mouth shut to keep him safe. I took over the shop entirely as you know son and I really tried to make it work without succumbing to the crime my father had. After two years of struggling to make ends meet just as your grandfather had, I buckled under the pressure and asked him how to get out of the dire situation. I didn’t want to lose the shop, it was and still is my passion. Unfortunately, I too had to take on the sly business of selling drugs that were placed strategically in the pots of the beloved plants. My father gave me the contacts I needed in order to get the product and informed me of the cut of the sales I needed to give to the people who gave me the drugs. I am ashamed to say son that I still have to do this to keep us afloat.” 

Dane started to tell his father that he couldn’t keep doing this. Putting a hand up, Gabriel told him, “I don’t have much of a choice Dane, you must understand that. I am going to give you this store one day and you need to know this secret to keep our legacy going on. Now let me show you where I stash the product.” Gabriel led him into the back room and showed him a safe hidden in the corner. He put in the combination and told Dane he would give him the numbers in the future. He opened the safe and showed Dane the different kinds of drugs present on the shelves and the money scattered throughout. “Dad, I don’t want to have to do this, I would rather see the store go away than get caught selling this stuff,” exclaimed Dane. “I know son, I know and I hope you don’t have to do what I have had to do all these years,” said Gabriel. “Just know that if you must, I will show you the ins and outs of the entire business when you are older just as my father did for me,” Gabriel said with tears in his eyes and with his hand on Dane’s shoulder.