From California:
I live in a condo complex that has a community garden. I have had a plot there for fifteen years. My plot is clearly marked and well-maintained. I have vegetables and flowers, including three healthy rose bushes. Actually, I had 3 healthy rose bushes, until they were dug up and moved two plots away by a crazy person. It really surprised me when I found the three holes where my bushes used to live, and surprised me even more when I noticed my former bushes, freshly planted, two plots over.
When not in the garden, the guy with the rose-fixation can usually be found either rooting through our community dumpster or working on one of his four broken down cars littering the guest parking area. Now, I'm not above an occasional dumpster-dive or brazen flouting of public-space laws. Neither am I the type of person that won't, if asked, share. One thing I am adverse to, however, is blatant rose bush usurping.
My first impulse was to simply take them back, but I don't really want to do what he did and cross into his personal space with semi-malicious intent My next impulse was to congenially ask him to replace them. I was quite close to doing so today, but then realized: if I do this, I'll either end up friendly with him or an enemy to him. I don't really want either of these things. And now that I think of it, I'm not really writing for advice, but rather to share this strange interlude with those of you out there that might find it entertaining.
I'm kind of leaning towards just buying new rose bushes and, in a couple of months time, fertilizing his flowers with some non-toxic anti-rose bush substance (citric acid or concentrated Miracle-Gro, probably). I know this last part is kind of childish... so I guess my question is, what would you do? Keep in mind that he behaves like a sociopath, and dresses like a homeless person. He also has loud fights with his oft-inebriated better half. And he mutters to himself. And he is much bigger than me.
I live in a condo complex that has a community garden. I have had a plot there for fifteen years. My plot is clearly marked and well-maintained. I have vegetables and flowers, including three healthy rose bushes. Actually, I had 3 healthy rose bushes, until they were dug up and moved two plots away by a crazy person. It really surprised me when I found the three holes where my bushes used to live, and surprised me even more when I noticed my former bushes, freshly planted, two plots over.
When not in the garden, the guy with the rose-fixation can usually be found either rooting through our community dumpster or working on one of his four broken down cars littering the guest parking area. Now, I'm not above an occasional dumpster-dive or brazen flouting of public-space laws. Neither am I the type of person that won't, if asked, share. One thing I am adverse to, however, is blatant rose bush usurping.
My first impulse was to simply take them back, but I don't really want to do what he did and cross into his personal space with semi-malicious intent My next impulse was to congenially ask him to replace them. I was quite close to doing so today, but then realized: if I do this, I'll either end up friendly with him or an enemy to him. I don't really want either of these things. And now that I think of it, I'm not really writing for advice, but rather to share this strange interlude with those of you out there that might find it entertaining.
I'm kind of leaning towards just buying new rose bushes and, in a couple of months time, fertilizing his flowers with some non-toxic anti-rose bush substance (citric acid or concentrated Miracle-Gro, probably). I know this last part is kind of childish... so I guess my question is, what would you do? Keep in mind that he behaves like a sociopath, and dresses like a homeless person. He also has loud fights with his oft-inebriated better half. And he mutters to himself. And he is much bigger than me.
