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THE BLACK TULIP
BY NELL BERRY AND LOREN MOORE
NELL WRITES:
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A BLACK TULIP? ME NEITHER. BUT ONCE WHEN I WAS
WALKING DOWN THE STREET, A LADY STOPPED ME AND SAID, "DO YOU KNOW WHERE I COULD
FIND A BLACK TULIP?"
"NO MA'AM I SURE DON'T. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ONE."
"WELL, I MUST FIND A BLACK TULIP," SHE SAID.
SHE WENT ON DOWN THE STREET AND A FEW DAYS LATER, I HEARD A STORY
ABOUT A LADY WHO WAS LOOKING FOR A BLACK TULIP.
LOREN WRITES:
THIS
LADY'S FAMILY WAS ORIGINALLY FROM HOLLAND AND THEY GREW BLACK TULIPS OVER THERE.
HER FATHER WAS ON HIS DEATH BED AND HE KEPT ASKING FOR A BLACK TULIP. BUT
NO WHERE COULD SHE FIND A BLACK TULIP.
SHE EVEN
RAN AN AD IN THE NEWS PAPER OFFERING A REWARD OF $100 FOR ONE BLACK TULIP.
THE AD RAN FOR THREE DAYS WITH OUT A CALL.
THEN ON
THE NIGHT OF THE THIRD DAY THE TELEPHONE RANG AND WHEN SHE ANSWERED IT, THIS
VOICE SAID, "I UNDERSTAND YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A BLACK TULIP."
NELL
WRITES;
"OH YES," SAID THE LADY. HER NAME WAS GRETCHEN, "YES, YES, DO YOU HAVE ONE? I AM
WILLING TO PAY YOU $100.00 IF YOU HAVE ONE OR CAN TELL ME WHERE I CAN FIND ONE."
"NO MA'AM," SAID THE VOICE ON THE PHONE, "I DON'T HAVE ONE. BUT I SAW ONE THE
OTHER DAY."
GRETCHEN WAS SO EXCITED, SHE WAS ALMOST IN TEARS. "OH PLEASE, TELL ME WHERE YOU
SAW IT."
"WELL, I WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND I SAW IT IN A YARD," SAID THE VOICE.
NOW GRETCHEN WAS GETTING REALLY EXCITED. "COULD YOU TELL ME HOW TO GET THERE?"
SHE ASKED.
THE VOICE TOLD HER TO GO TO SUCH AND SUCH A STREET AND WALK DOWN ON THE RIGHT
SIDE OF THE STREET AND LOOK IN THE YARD OF THE OLD BUILDING THAT HAD BEEN
CONDEMNED.
SHE WENT TO THAT BUILDING AND SURE ENOUGH THERE WAS THE TULIPS IN THE BACK YARD.
HOWEVER, WHEN SHE TRIED TO FIND OUT WHO OWNED IT, SHE WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED. NO
ONE SEEMED TO KNOW WHO OWNED THE BUILDING.
WELL, SHE WENT BACK HOME AND DID NOT HAVE THE COURAGE TO GO SEE HER FATHER TO
TELL HIM SHE COULD NOT FIND THE TULIPS.
THE NEXT DAY SHE TRIED AGAIN TO FIND OUT WHO THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING WAS.
SHE STOPPED AT A GROCERY STORE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND INQUIRED OF THE GROCERY
CLERK, IF SHE KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE BUILDING.
"OH YES," SHE SAID, "THE CITY OWNS THE BUILDING NOW. IT USED TO BE A RESIDENTIAL
BUILDING. BUT SO MANY YEARS NOW, IT HAS NOT BEEN MAINTAINED AND IT WAS BEGINNING
TO DETERIORATE TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS GETTING TO BE A HAZARD FOR CHILDREN
PLAYING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD."
THE GROCERY CLERK WENT ON TO EXPLAIN HOW ONE CHILD HAD FALLEN THROUGH THE FLOOR
OF ONE OF THE ROOMS, PLAYING IN THE VACANT BUILDING AND THOUGH THE CHILD WAS NOT
SERIOUSLY INJURED, THE CITY WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DANGER AND DECIDED TO CONDEMN
IT.
LOREN WRITES;
GRETCHEN
THOUGHT SHE WOULD GO TO CITY HALL AND FIND SOMEONE TO ASK ABOUT THE TULIPS.
WHEN SHE GOT TO CITY HALL, SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO TALK TO. SO SHE WENT TO
THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT AND TOLD THE LADY BEHIND THE COUNTER ABOUT THE
TULIPS AND ASK IF SHE COULD DIG THEM UP.
THE LADY
TOLD GRETCHEN THAT SHE HAD COME TO THE WRONG DEPARTMENT FOR THAT PROBLEM.
"GO TO THE BUILDING PERMIT DEPARTMENT."
GRETCHEN
WENT BACK OUT INTO THE HALL AND WONDERED WHERE SHE WOULD FIND THE BUILDING
PERMIT DEPARTMENT. SHE DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO WITH THE TULIPS ANYWAY.
SHE
WONDERED UP AND DOWN HALLWAYS FOR HALF AN HOUR. FINALLY SHE FOUND A DOOR MARKED
"BUILDING PERMITS." GRETCHEN WENT IN AND SAW A LINE OF MEN STANDING AT A
COUNTER, SO SHE GOT IN LINE.
AN HOUR
LATER, IT WAS HER TURN AT THE COUNTER. SHE TOLD THE MAN BEHIND THE COUNTER
ABOUT THE TULIPS AND ASKED IF IT WOULD BE ALRIGHT FOR HER TO DIG THEM UP.
THE MAN LOOKED AT HER LIKE HE THOUGHT SHE WAS CRAZY. "YOU MEAN YOU STOOD
IN LINE FOR AN HOUR TO ASK ME THAT? LADY I DON'T HAVE ANY THING TO DO WITH
TULIPS, GO TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT."
GRETCHEN
WENT BACK OUT INTO THE HALL. BY THIS TIME SHE WAS TIRED, HUNGRY AND
FRUSTRATED. SHE STARTED TO CRY. ABOUT THAT TIME A POLICEMAN WALK BY.
WHEN HE SAW GRETCHEN CRYING, HE STOPPED AND ASKED IF HE COULD BE OF ANY SERVICE?
GRETCHEN
LOOKED UP AND SAID, IN A CRYING VOICE, "I WANT A BLACK TULIP!" THE
POLICEMAN SAID, "UH?" GRETCHEN FINALLY MANAGED TO SAY SHE WAS LOOKING FOR
THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. THE POLICEMAN ESCORTED HER TO THE
DOOR SHE HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR.
UPON
ENTERING THE DOOR SHE SAW A MAN STANDING BEHIND A COUNTER. SO GRETCHEN
WENT UP TO THIS COUNTER AND EXPLAINED ABOUT THE TULIPS BEING ON THE LOT WITH THE
CONDEMNED BUILDING. SHE SAID THE TULIPS WOULD BE DESTROYED WHEN THEY TORE
DOWN THE BUILDING AND WANTED TO KNOW IF SHE COULD DIG THEM UP TO SAVE THEM.
"NO
YOU CAN'T DIG THEM UP. THERE IS A LAW AGAINST DIGGING UP FLOWERS OR SHRUBS
ON CITY PROPERTY" THE MAN SAID. "BUT THEY WILL BE DESTROYED" GRETCHEN
CRIED." "SORRY, THE LAW'S THE LAW" CAME BACK THE MAN.
NELL
WRITES;
GRETCHEN
WAS REALLY ANGRY NOW AND SHE ALMOST YELLED AT THE MAN, "YOU ARE AN INSENSITIVE,
RUDE AND MEAN OLD PERSON."
THE MAN LOOKED AT HER WITH A SMIRK ON HIS FACE AND SAID, "THANKS! THAT'S THE
NICEST THING ANYONE HAS SAID TO ME ALL WEEK."
"DON'T YOU CARE ABOUT PEOPLE?" SHE SAID.
"NOPE!" SAID THE MAN. "DON'T CARE AND DON'T WANT TO HEAR. I JUST WORK HERE AND
DO MY JOB THE WAY I'M SUPPOSED TO DO IT."
GRETCHEN DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. SHE JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE A PERSON COULD BE SO
HEARTLESS. SO SHE DECIDED TO PLAY ON HIS SYMPATHY.
"SIR, I'M SORRY FOR YELLING AT YOU. I KNOW YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHY THESE TULIP
BULBS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO ME." SHE SAID KINDLY. "BUT YOU SEE MY FATHER IS VERY
ILL. HE WAS A HORTICULTURIST OVER IN THE NETHERLANDS. HE DEVELOPED THESE TULIP
BULBS. HE WANTS TO SEE ONE OF HIS TULIP BULBS IN BLOOM BEFORE HE DIES."
NOW, GRETCHEN WAS NEAR TEARS AGAIN AND DABBING AT HER EYES SHE WENT ON, "THESE
TULIP BULBS WERE BROUGHT OVER HERE AFTER WWII AND MY FATHER STARTED A NURSERY
AND WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AT IT," GRETCHEN WENT ON. "NOW THAT HE IS NEAR DEATH HE
JUST WANTS TO SEE ONE OF HIS PRECIOUS BLACK TULIPS IN BLOOM AGAIN."
STILL THE MAN DID NOT UNDERSTAND. "MA'AM I AM JUST DOING THE JOB I WAS HIRED TO
DO," HE SAID. "IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WAY I DO IT, MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO TAKE IT UP
WITH MY BOSS."
GRETCHEN DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW. SHE LEFT THE PARKS AND RECREATION
DEPARTMENT AND WENT BACK TO HER APARTMENT. SHE WAS JUST HEARTSICK. SHE KNEW HOW
MUCH THESE BULBS MEANT TO HER FATHER AND SHE WANTED TO DO THIS FOR HIM BEFORE HE
DIED. SO, SHE STARTED CALLING ALL THE NUMBERS IN THE PHONE BOOK THAT WAS RELATED
IN ANY WAY TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
LOREN WRITES;
AFTER
SPENDING TWO HOURS ON THE PHONE GRETCHEN WAS NO CLOSER TO GETTING PERMISSION TO
DIG UP THE TULIPS. SHE FINALLY GAVE UP ON THE IDEA OF GETTING PERMISSION
AND THOUGHT MAYBE SHE SHOULD JUST GO AND DO IT.
THAT NIGHT
AFTER DARK SHE TOOK A SACK AND A TROWEL AND WENT TO THE CONDEMNED BUILDING.
GRETCHEN LOOKED ALL AROUND AND DIDN'T SEE ANY ONE SO SHE WENT TO THE TULIPS AND
DUG THEM UP. SHE PUT THEM IN THE SACK AND WALKED BACK TO THE SIDE WALK.
WHEN SHE
GOT THERE, THERE WAS A POLICE CAR SETTING AT THE CURB. THE POLICEMAN ASKED
GRETCHEN WHAT SHE WAS DOING OUT HERE IN THE DARK AND WHAT DID SHE HAVE IN THE
SACK?
NELL
WRITES;
"HMMM? UHHH WHAT SACK?" GRETCHEN STAMMERED, "OH YOU MEAN
THIS SACK. YES, WELL, I HEARD SOME ONE SAY
THERE WAS A LOT OF NUTRITION IN CERTAIN FLOWER BULBS," SHE PAUSED TO GET HER
BREATH AND TO TRY TO THINK UP A GOOD REASON FOR HAVING THESE BULBS.
"THIS IS A VERY RARE TYPE OF TULIP BULB AND I HAVE HEARD IT HAS MORE NUTRITION
THAN THE REST OF THE SPECIES," SHE CONTINUED, "I SAW THESE BULBS IN THE YARD OF
THIS ABANDONED BUILDING AND DIDN'T SEE ANY REASON NOT TO DIG THEM UP. AFTER ALL
NO ONE LIVES HERE. SO WHAT COULD IT HURT?"
THE POLICEMAN LOOKED AT HER LIKE SHE HAD JUST FALLEN OUT OF A TREE. "YOU GOT TO
BE KIDDING ME, RIGHT?" HE SAID SARCASTICALLY.
"NO, I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH." GRETCHEN SAID, "I JUST READ THIS STORY OF HOW A
MAN DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR KEPT A WHOLE TOWN IN THE NETHERLANDS FROM
STARVING TO DEATH BY GIVING THEM THESE RARE BULBS TO EAT."
"WELL, WE WILL JUST HAVE TO SEE ABOUT THAT." THE POLICEMAN SAID. "YOU BETTER
COME WITH ME DOWN TO THE STATION."
"OH PLEASE, SIR," GRETCHEN BEGGED, "PLEASE DON'T ARREST ME. I HAVEN'T DONE
ANYTHING WRONG."
"I
THINK YOU WERE TRESPASSING." HE SAID, "DIDN'T YOU READ THE SIGN, NO TRESPASSING?
"WHAT SIGN? NO, I DIDN'T SEE ANY SIGN. I JUST SAW THE GREEN SHOOTS OF THESE
FLOWERS AND RECOGNIZED THEM AS TULIP BULBS." GRETCHEN SOUNDED VERY CONVINCING.
"YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME. I WOULDN'T STEAL ANYTHING OR TRESPASS, HONEST."
BUT THE POLICEMAN WAS NOT CONVINCED. SO, HE TOOK HER DOWN TO THE POLICE STATION.
HE TOOK HER IN TO TALK TO THE CAPTAIN.
LOREN WRITES;
BY
THE TIME THEY GOT TO THE POLICE STATION, GRETCHEN WAS CRYING. WHEN THE
POLICEMAN TOOK HER INTO THE STATION, HE TOOK HER TO HIS CAPTAIN AND TOLD HIM WHY
HE HAD BROUGHT GRETCHEN IN.
THE
CAPTAIN TOLD GRETCHEN TO STOP CRYING, THAT EVERY THING WAS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT.
HE HANDED GRETCHEN A BOX OF TISSUES AND TOLD HER TO DRY HER TEARS.
"NOW
SUPPOSE YOU TELL ME WHY YOU ARE CRYING" THE CAPTAIN SAID. SO GRETCHEN TOLD
HIM THE TRUTH ABOUT HER FATHER BEING IN THE HOSPITAL AND EVERY THING,
INCLUDING HER EXPERIENCES AT CITY HALL.
"HE'S
DYING AND I WAS JUST TRYING TO SHOW HIM ONE OF HIS BLACK TULIPS BEFORE HE DIED."
"I
UNDERSTAND WHY YOU DID WHAT YOU DID AND I WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME. I'LL
HAVE THAT POLICEMAN DRIVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL."
WHEN
GRETCHEN GOT TO THE HOSPITAL, SHE WENT RUNNING DOWN THE HALL TO HER FATHER'S
ROOM. WHEN SHE ENTERED THE DOOR, SHE SAW THE ROOM WAS EMPTY. AS SHE
TURNED TO GO TO THE NURSES STATION, SHE MET A NURSE THAT TOLD HER, HER FATHER
HAD PASSED AWAY AN HOUR AGO.
THERE WAS
NO FUNERAL, ONLY A GRAVE SIDE SERVICE. THERE WERE ONLY TWO PEOPLE THERE, A
CHAPLIN FROM THE FUNERAL HOME AND GRETCHEN. GRETCHEN WAS DRESSED ALL IN
BLACK INCLUDING A BLACK HAT AND VAIL. SHE WORE BLACK LEATHER GLOVES AND
CARRIED A BLACK TULIP.
THE
CHAPLIN READ A FEW VERSES FROM THE BIBLE AND LEFT. GRETCHEN STOOD THERE BY
HER FATHER'S CASKET, SOFTLY CRYING. FINALLY SHE REACHED OVER AND LAID THE
BLACK TULIP ON HIS CASKET. THEN SHE TURNED AND WALKED AWAY,
THE END
COPYRIGHT 2004
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