Ever get a weird response by someone viewing your Bonsai?

[edprocoat]

This actually has happened to me twice now, the first time back in 87 when my son was almost 3 years old, but this time it was even more weird. Bach then this lady asked me if I "enjoyed hurting trees" I have my plants with me outside my RV and when I am home I usually am watering or trimming or looking at them, either in the light or if its later with my hat light on. I gets lots of people who stop by and compliment me on them, and say things like I always love to look at "Bon-zais" pronouncing it the wrong way as I know it, I then say I have messed with "Bone-sigh" since I was a child as thats the way I understand it to be pronounced. They are almost always compimentary and ask questions and pick one they like the best etc., its always nice to hear compliments and I enjoy conversation with strangers anyway so its fun for me.

Yesterday this old couple came up walking a standard poodle, the big ones the size of a german shepherd, they had it styled with the hair all trimmed except for the pom-pom on the tail and on the head and the balls of fur on each foot. They walked up smiling and the man said " Oh you keep Bon-zais, you're one of them people who like to torture trees", I smiled as I thought he was joking and was about to say hello when his wife? said " I think its criminal to maim trees, to hack them up and keep them from growing as nature intended them to grow" and then she added " Its kind of like a control freak thing to me, you know like someone who wants everything his own way, truly a sick thing"

I was taken aback to say the least, but, as I am never at a lost for words I blurted out, " You mean like someone who embarrasses their pet by cutting its hair to look like a circus dog" The old woman looked as if she was going to hit me, then she turned and said " Lets go, how rude" and stormed off.

Thats just me, making friends wherever I go.

ed

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Classic! Irony epitomized.

My neighbor today asked me if there was any way I could do bonsai on any of the three of these yaupon hollies near the mailbox her husband whacked back every year for the last 50 years. She thought probably not because bonsai is only little trees...as I checked out the 6" trunks with branches starting about 6" off the ground, the three bushes are probably the size of a king size bed.

Uh...I'll give it a try ma'am, maybe even dig em out free of charge. Trying to contain my enthusiasm, or I'd be out there right now with my own flashlight helmet on!

 

[Kirk]

"...you're one of them people who like to torture trees."...

"Yes. And, it doesn't stop there."

 

[Dan W.]

Haha!!! That is an awesome story ed! Thanks for sharing. I'm always amazed at people. and I've always hated how some people pimp their poodles out...it's so...natural... Just personal taste I guess.

Brian, be sure to post pictures of those holly's. ...Maybe the pics taken in daylight would be better...

 

[Kiani]

Hhahahah. Legendary come back.

 

[Kiani]

Classic! Irony epitomized.

My neighbor today asked me if there was any way I could do bonsai on any of the three of these yaupon hollies near the mailbox her husband whacked back every year for the last 50 years. She thought probably not because bonsai is only little trees...as I checked out the 6" trunks with branches starting about 6" off the ground, the three bushes are probably the size of a king size bed.

Uh...I'll give it a try ma'am, maybe even dig em out free of charge. Trying to contain my enthusiasm, or I'd be out there right now with my own flashlight helmet on!

Nice, you should upload some before/after pics once you're done. Would be cool to see what you come up with.

 

[daygan]

Ha Ha.. yeah, that made me laugh... Ed, I'm truly impressed by your quick-wittedness!

 

[Vance Wood]

This actually has happened to me twice now, the first time back in 87 when my son was almost 3 years old, but this time it was even more weird. Bach then this lady asked me if I "enjoyed hurting trees" I have my plants with me outside my RV and when I am home I usually am watering or trimming or looking at them, either in the light or if its later with my hat light on. I gets lots of people who stop by and compliment me on them, and say things like I always love to look at "Bon-zais" pronouncing it the wrong way as I know it, I then say I have messed with "Bone-sigh" since I was a child as thats the way I understand it to be pronounced. They are almost always compimentary and ask questions and pick one they like the best etc., its always nice to hear compliments and I enjoy conversation with strangers anyway so its fun for me.

Yesterday this old couple came up walking a standard poodle, the big ones the size of a german shepherd, they had it styled with the hair all trimmed except for the pom-pom on the tail and on the head and the balls of fur on each foot. They walked up smiling and the man said " Oh you keep Bon-zais, you're one of them people who like to torture trees", I smiled as I thought he was joking and was about to say hello when his wife? said " I think its criminal to maim trees, to hack them up and keep them from growing as nature intended them to grow" and then she added " Its kind of like a control freak thing to me, you know like someone who wants everything his own way, truly a sick thing"

I was taken aback to say the least, but, as I am never at a lost for words I blurted out, " You mean like someone who embarrasses their pet by cutting its hair to look like a circus dog" The old woman looked as if she was going to hit me, then she turned and said " Lets go, how rude" and stormed off.

Thats just me, making friends wherever I go.

ed

Yessssss, I dooo, with a Draculaish lisp. I love hearing them scream and moan. Did you every listen to your lawn when you mowe it? The howling is wonderful not to mention what happens when you have someone come and trim your shrubbery?

Just remember; ignorance is curable but Stupid is a life long endeavor.

 

[Klytus]

People can easily comprehend Bonsai,it's something people who don't support a football team do.

They cannot understand Bone Sigh as we do not tell them.

 

[Bill S]

Carefull they may come back to drive spikes into them so you will break your shears next time you prune.

Hehe, good job by the way, I'd probably have offered to fix the dog.

 

[Ron Dennis]

Ed, you showed great restraint in your response. I wonder if this couple has ever notice nature having a way of altering the "natural" way a tree grows.

The couple probably think nothing of a pet owner cropping ears or bobbing tails. Let's chalk it up to a total lack of class on the couple's part.

 

[rockm]

Gotta love sanctimonious ignorance.

I ask the "do you mow your lawn? trim your hedges? or eat broccoli?" questions when asked if I'm "torturing" trees. All of that activity -- with the possible violent exception of eating plants (grinding them up with your teeth isn't really torture as much as it is a gory end for a plant) -- is pretty close to what bonsai is.

BTW, the "poodle cut" on a poodle was originally applied to give the dog more bouyancy in the water and to keep hip and ankel joints warm. Poodles were oringally bred to be retrievers. That function is long gone, obviously and the hair cut has become much more stylized and ridiculous.

 

[tahoe]

my brother constantly calls me a control freak
and when someone accuses me of torturing trees, i just say "On the contrary, i am coddling them to an extreme. See how healthy they are?"

 

[Vance Wood]

Though I can understand the shock of actually encountering someone who would try to make this argument, in truth you gain nothing out of arguing with a fool. I have gotten to a point in my life where I at least consider what I am going to say about something before I actually come forth with one of my infamous "Smart-ass comebacks". Sometimes I cannot resist the challenge!

 

[Ron Dennis]

Though I can understand the shock of actually encountering someone who would try to make this argument, in truth you gain nothing out of arguing with a fool. I have gotten to a point in my life where I at least consider what I am going to say about something before I actually come forth with one of my infamous "Smart-ass comebacks". Sometimes I cannot resist the challenge!

Oh come on. Don't fight the impulse too hard.

 

[Vance Wood]

Oh come on. Don't fight the impulse too hard.

Probably wont be able to, but I'll try.

 

[october]

I rarely argue anything opionated. HOWEVER, I do argue when something is fact. You cannot argue with a fact.. How often do you see a tree in nature that is as healthy as a well taken care of bonsai? FACT: Trees in nature are pest ridden, disease ridden, bare, scorched and many are just survivng, not thriving.

Rob

 

[Klytus]

Hmm,the theme of Disease.

 

[leus]

Trees are natural systems but they don't feel anything. Dogs, on the other hand, are sentient creatures and having them genetically selected to display unhealthy traits and reduced life expectancy is way more inhumane than cutting a branch, so the contradiction was strong on that couple.

I've never used the "do you eat plants?" retort, is just too good so I'll just resort to that one, thanks.

 

[john blanch]

Though I can understand the shock of actually encountering someone who would try to make this argument, in truth you gain nothing out of arguing with a fool. I have gotten to a point in my life where I at least consider what I am going to say about something before I actually come forth with one of my infamous "Smart-ass comebacks". Sometimes I cannot resist the challenge!

And you haven't done much when you've bested a fool.