Runaway Flowers Stage Escape From Manhattan Rooftop, End Up in Coney Island
#fiction #shortstory #humor #qotd #quoteoftheday #newyork #manhattan #mta #flowers #botanicalgarden #nyc #lineartheory
Last weekend, I was cleaning up flowers, and as I hauled them down the elevator, a thought popped into my head: “abetting runaway flowers.” Which spiraled into “What if I write a short story about runaway flowers?” Not my usual content, but I went with it 🕵🏻 #creativityGoesSideways
The New York Times
Sunday Edition
Runaway Flowers Stage Escape From Manhattan Rooftop, End Up in Coney Island
NEW YORK — In an incident baffling residents and botanists alike, a group of flowers staged a dramatic escape from a rooftop in Manhattan on Friday afternoon, eventually arriving at Coney Island, where they reportedly “planted themselves” in the sand.
Witnesses first spotted the unusual procession around 2 p.m. near East 34th Street. “I thought I was suffering a heat stroke,” said Jenny Lee, a visitor from Seattle. “You don’t expect to see roses using a fire escape.”
Security footage from the MTA confirms that the flowers boarded a downtown F train, with what appears to be a peony swiping a MetroCard. One commuter, who asked not to be named, claimed the group behaved politely until they spilled water without apology on the subway tiles.
Authorities believe the escape began mid-morning, where tenants enjoy a garden of daisies, roses, peonies, and assorted trees. Residents described the plants as “generally well-behaved,” though one neighbor admitted the flowers “always looked like they were up to something.”
By late afternoon, stunned beachgoers at Coney Island reported seeing rows of daisies spelling out HELLO NEW YORK along the shoreline. “It was honestly better than the fireworks,” said a local vendor who happened to be taking a stroll at the time.
The Parks Department has declined to comment, citing an “ongoing horticultural situation.” NYPD officials, however, confirmed they are monitoring other rooftops and asking residents to call in any funny behavior.
As of press time, the flowers remain at large, basking in the Atlantic breeze.
Update: We have received a plethora of letters from readers and residents…
Letters to the Editor
Regarding “Runaway Flowers Stage Escape From Manhattan Rooftop, End Up in Coney Island” (Sunday Edition):
I, for one, welcome our floral overlords. Finally, something in this city smells nice.
— Jenny Lee, Seattle
I was at Coney Island when the flowers arrived. They pushed right past me to plant themselves in the sand, no “excuse me,” no nothing. Rude. I don’t care if they’re flowers, manners are universal.
— Neighbor, Manhattan
The daisies were having the time of their lives. You think you’ve seen everything in New York… I’ll never be the same again.
— Local Vendor, Coney Island
A rooftop scene that seeded a fantastic tale—
which evolved during the elevator ride down to the trashcan—a story for the ages? Runaway flowers
Meanwhile on Instagram... Illustration by Ernest H. Shepard
