WISTERIA

My husband Steven and I were driving down the road when I couldn’t help but smile as I pointed up into the trees. “The wisteria’s in bloom!” I cried.

Steven looked up at where I was pointing. “I wonder how long it will take it to kill all those trees?”

“What?” I looked over at him confused. “I think it looks beautiful.” I looked back at the grape-like clusters of lavender petals draped over several trees.

“Sure it looks beautiful now but those vines will strangle all those trees in a few years.”

“Oh, come on!” I cracked open my window hoping I could smell a hint of their sweet fragrance. “They remind me of a sweeter smelling lilac.” I looked back over at Steven. “It’s one of my favorite childhood memories, standing under the arbor that was out behind the kitchen. The wisteria was so thick that it could be raining out and you wouldn’t even get wet!”

Steven was nodding his head. “Well, your childhood memory turned into an incredible amount of work for me trying to keep those vines from getting out of control.”

“Hey, it was your idea to buy my childhood home.” I laughed as I put my window back up. “But you have to admit the wisteria was beautiful when it was in bloom!”

Steven nodded in agreement. “You could smell it as soon as you pulled into the driveway.”

“See, you miss having wisteria, too!”

“Oh, I never said that!” He laughed as he looked over at me. “I swear those vines could grow ten feet over night!” He shook his head and sighed. “I used to spend every day weaving them back into the arbor and pulling them off the nearest trees.”

“But it looked and smelled so beautiful.” I reminded him again.

“It’s not going to happen.” Steven said. We were stopped at a red light.

“What’s not going to happen?” I pretended to look confused.

“We’re not planting any wisteria on our property.”

“Oh, come on!” I cried. “Just a little one?” I held my two fingers an inch apart. “I promise I’ll be the one to keep this one trimmed!”

“I’ve got a better idea.” The light had turned green and we were moving again.

“What?”

“Why not just buy some wisteria perfume?” Steven looked over at me. “Or get a can of wisteria air freshener?”

I had to laugh. “There’s no such thing!”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “I bet Amazon has it.”

“We’ll see about that!” I took out my phone, went to the Amazon site and typed in ‘wisteria perfume’. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” I cried. I turned the phone for Steven to see. “They really have it!” I retyped ‘wisteria air freshener. “They’ve got that too!”

“Told you.” Steven nodded his head.

I was looking back at my phone not able to keep the amazement out of my voice. “Who knew?”

Steven started to laugh. “Clearly I did!”