The tropical grasses in the greenhouse brushed our arms like a gentle caress from a familiar lover. The spidery succulents above our heads hung low and danced in front of our eyes in a haunting stupor. Our eyes were flooded with green in a tropical blur. This magical experience was in the greenhouse of the Belfast Botanic Gardens. The large white structure was vaguely reminiscent of Golden Gate Park, and this slice of the States felt warm in a new place. It was a tight squeeze on either side of the trees, ferns, and succulents, and people passed each other with great discomfort. A huddle of visitors were stopped staring at a particular plant that is extremely rare and odd looking. Devil’s Tongue is a tall tree-like plant that has mastered self-defense. When it is in bloom, it omits an odor of rotting flesh, which steers away any threat. It also attracts flies which helps it to pollenate. The coolest part is that this rancid smelling plant stands majestic and beautiful, proud and colorful. It was admiring this strange offspring of Mother Nature that we first had an encounter with the two old men in front of us. One of them commented on the way my friend talks with her hands so vibrantly. I was intrigued because he didn’t comment on our accents or our backpacks or any of the usual conversation starters. It was a true characteristic that he noticed right away. We then entered one of the side rooms where they housed flowers like lilies and daffodils, and the man turned around to talk with us again. He said, “Where are you girls from in the states?” He was sharply dressed, very sophisticated looking. He had a professorial look, and very soft eyes. He had white hair but glowed with youth and vitality. We exchanged pleasantries about our hometowns and then began to speak more about Ireland. About the accents, the people, and the mindsets. He quickly realized my friend’s pragmatism and asked her zodiac sign. When she carefully replied, “Scorpio,” he said “Ah, yes. You are very logical, very clever, and very pragmatic. You are probably a phenomenal listener, and if someone hurts you, you are unlikely to forget it. What’s most important is that while you are a pragmatist, you are very down to earth and often spiritual. Ah, how lovely. And what about you, love?” He turned to me. Megan and I are shocked. Stunned. Stupefied. He hit her right on the nose. And it wasn’t creepy, it was kind harmless, gentle, almost mystic. I was obviously curious. My inner child screaming, “oooohh do me do me!!!!” I said I am a water sign too, I am an Aquarius. “No, he said, you are an air sign. You are the water bearer, not the water. It is very important, you bring lots of vitality. Studying probably comes very easily to you, and when you do something you probably bury yourself in it. Mozart was a classic Aquarian. The work came so easily to him, and he gave his life to it. You need and want love, but you need your space. You won’t like to feel non-independent. There’s a good deal of detachment that you need and are comfortable with. You are in the clouds a lot, one day here, one day there. What is your boyfriend’s sign?” Stunned, again, I replied, “Capricorn.” He lit up. “Oh, so clever. He’s reliable. So stubborn,” he said with a shake of the head. “Probably worries about money a lot. But most importantly, very faithful. You will teach each other so much about life,” he said with a radiant smile. He then did the same analysis for my friend’s boyfriend. Also very accurate. We learned that he was in a band, floating around as a missionary from Calcutta to Brazil. He said that “if there is a God, he has a heart. He believes in making people smile. You can’t always fix their problems and take away their pain or give them what they need, but God made us to laugh. It was so lovely to meet you girls, I hope you have a beautiful time in Ireland, and Godbless You.” And then he hugged us. This was the 4th person we have met in Belfast that talked to us simply because. Simply for a smile.
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