I was looking at the ADF site, and trying to figure out the closest Grove to NYC for Monika. Then I started thinking that we (PSA) should get Monika flowers for her new apartment (something to set off the roaches nicely).

So I sent an IM to Meghan and asked her what she thought of the idea. Well, we put our heads together and started looking at FTD.com. They were freaking expensive (I didn't have $70 to spend on flowers for you, Monika, sorry)!

Well, in the course of looking at these expensive flowers, I thought about ordering Tina some too, which led to me thinking about the kinds of flowers that Tina likes: orchids.

Now, I know that I can get orchids much cheaper than I can get a handfull of dandelions from FTD, so I hit up Tina's favourite supplier, Andy's Orchids. I browsed around for a while, and then realised that if I were smart, I'd buy Monika one there, too.

Well, after talking over IM to Meghan about several different species, and trying to find one that Monika would like, we settled on a very beautiful one: a Phalaenopsis. Bought it and asked them to require a signature upon delivery.

I ended up purchasing a really cool one for Tina, because I know she likes orchids with personality, and you have to admit that he has lots!

I couldn't contain myself after ordering an orchid for Tina, and I told her immediately. She loved the idea, and asked why I had bought her an orchid, and I told her that the impetus for the idea came when Meghan and I were looking for flowers for a housewarming gift for Monika.

Well, later that week, I got a call from Harry, who helps run Andy's Orchids. He wanted to know about the shipping, and if someone would be there to pick it up. I said I didn't know, and he offered to call Monika and find out. I said "cool" and so I relaxed.

The kicker, though, is the message he left on my answering machine. It went a little like this: "This is a message for Michael, regarding the orchid you ordered for Monika. . ."

Well, I was fortunate to have told Tina prior that I had ordered her and Monika flowers on the same day, otherwise she might have been a little mad at me when she heard that I ordered Monika flowers, but not her, especially after the conversations we've had about how hot I think Monika is. :)

I'd have been so dead. :)

Well, the next night, Andy himself called me. He was concerned about the well-being of the orchid we'd ordered for Monika. I told him that this would probably be Monika's first orchid, and mentioned that it would be in an apartment in New York. He told me flat out that we'd made a bad choice (well, he actually told me that *I* made a bad choice), and that the orchid we chose would require an "orchidarium" to grow properly. He gave me some options and asked me to look at them.

The next night, I called him after having looked at orchids, and told him I'd settled on one. It was an Encyclia, a very pretty orchid. I think I actually like it better.

Well, he charged me another $6 (no biggie), and said he'd send it out.

So I get this message from Monika the next day asking what I'd sent via FedEx. She guessed about it a bit, and I wouldn't tell her, but I did admit that it was "alive" and that she needed to pick it up soon. I think that might have freaked her out.

But, in the end, I think she liked it, after walking 3 miles to pick it up because she thought it might be a bomb from California. :)

The next day, Tina's arrived here, and she opened it up and hung it up immediately, and then she noticed that it was addressed a bit wrong: it was addressed to "Christina Dangler". She wanted to know two things: 1) was that a message of some sort, and 2) did Monika's show up addressed to "Monika Dangler"? She thought that Andy might be playing a trick on me, since I did order two orchids for two different women. . .

Thus ended my orchid-buying adventure. :)

Content © 2003, Michael J Dangler
Updated on 09/02/2003. Site Credits / Email Me!
Basic site design from ADF.org
(Yes, I stole it!)