I bought three purple pansy plants and
planted them in a large pot outdoors.

Then I forgot to water them.

Three days later, I noticed how droopy
they looked.
I watered them and repeatedly checked on
their condition.
Fortunately, they revived.

“How could you be so remiss?” the pansy
flower-faces rebuked.
“We were better off at the grocery store!” they
pouted.

I meant to water them.
Truly.
I persuaded myself on the day I
bought them that it “looked like rain.”
But who was I kidding?
It didn’t rain.

Pansies look cute and adorable, but it’s
only a cover.
They’re actually fiendish, like gangsters.
They’re unforgiving, unrelenting, and spiteful, too.

Every so often, one of my pansies droops and
acts sullen—just to get back at me.

One would think they could overlook a
little neglect—turn their pansy cheek—but
no, not pansies, they never let go …
never.