FLORAL ARRANGERS PAR EXCELLENCE

I went to Kroger to order a floral arrangement for a funeral. I always send the same arrangement to funerals: a fireside basket with red carnations, baby's breath and greenery. As I have a number of fireside baskets, I usually take a basket for the florist to use as it defrays the cost by $10.00.

As there was nobody in the floral department, I asked the woman in the liquor department if Terry were available and she said that he had gone for the day. Terry, the floral designer, had done beautiful arrangements for me, with his piece de résistance being my Thanksgiving centerpiece: a Waterford cornucopia with cranberries used as the oasis-style medium and completed with lovely fall flowers to match my dining room decor. I asked if she could get someone to help and she paged for help in the floral department. A young man named Jamrin came to help, but told me that he couldn't help but he made several other pages. Finally, he said there was nobody in the store who could help with an arrangement.

I said that obviously I would have to go somewhere else. Jamrin agreed. At that time, Tabitha, who works in the bakery department came by and asked if she could help and I said, "It's a very simple arrangement; I could show you how." She and I went behind the counter. I told Jamrin that I needed 24-30 carnations, greenery, and baby's breath. He returned and said that he had only 4 red carnations in inventory, but brought some baby's breath and greenery. Tabitha pointed to the bunches of flowers for sale in the tubs and she went over and came back with 6 bunches of red carnations. I said, "Now, I need oasis, a container for the oasis, floral tape, and scissors." We found a container and we soaked the oasis in water and taped the container to the basket. I started sticking the flowers into the oasis and I said, "Tabitha, start putting that baby's breath into empty spaces so it will look symmetrical." I commented, "That's pretty greenery; I haven't seen it before." Tabitha said, "It's Italian hibiscus; we use it in the food department, because it's safe to use around food." I said, "Wow, I learned something new." I dispatched Jamrin to get more baby's breath and Tabitha and I kept filling the empty spaces in the arrangement. The arrangement didn't look as good as Terry's would have, but it looked pretty darned good for the work of three amateurs!

I told them I wanted their names as I was going to let the manager know what a great job they did.

There was nobody to deliver the flowers. Jamrin brought back a banana box and I loaded the flowers into the car and delivered them to the funeral home!