While on a date with my wife, we were walking through an outdoor art fair, having a pleasant time in Pasadena, California. There is hardly any breeze in this city, so it came as quite a surprise when a strong gust of wind knocked down a very colorful and large portable wall of tissue paper flowers. On instinct, my wife immediately helped to pick the wall back up, and was truly grateful that the wall did not fall on her or harm her in any way.

I always found this amusing on multiple levels:

1. We’ve lived so long in a non-windy city that I forgot that wind even existed.
2. I don’t think tissue paper flowers can harm anyone.
3. It would have been even funnier if the wall of flowers did fall on her.
4. It is probably wrong of me to think that such a thing could be funny.
5. Since “what goes around comes around,” I wonder what funny thing will happen to me on our next date.

It is remarkable how much hidden depth can be revealed from a gust of wind in a non-windy city.

Joe Chiappetta