Sympathy Flowers

by Mike Dang and Ester Bloom

Mike: What color flowers do you send someone who has lost a relative?

Ester: Oh no — white Calla Lily is the symbol of death, traditionally, right?

Mike: They’re sympathy flowers?

Ester: Sure — anything is, really, though. Calla Lillies are expensive. $80?

Mike: Okay, I’m on a popular flower delivery site. This is called “Healing Tears.”

Mike: Here’s one with Calla.

Ester: People do like white for pain. I can’t remember caring, though, when I was in mourning.

Mike: That’s true. Maybe I’ll do the all white one then. Look at this pink one, “Sincerest Sorrow”:

Ester: Wowza.

Mike: Too cheery?

Ester: I’m not sure which one is more goyish, but the white one is in better taste, I think. Seriously, if someone had sent me a bunch of daisies I would have been really moved.

Mike: I’m doing the white.

Ester: Maybe I’m not a barometer of normal people.

Mike: I mean, I think if someone sent me a bagel at a difficult time I would cry.

Ester: And totally, that has happened. A bagel arriving at the right time can mean the world. A friend sent me dinner in a box once. Shabbes dinner, but it doesn’t need to be a Jewish thing. I was so touched.

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