An office can be a challenging environment for human beings even on the best of days, but for a plant it can be a matter of life and death. The humans in this particular office came and went like the seasons. The reason for this most commonly being that other offices in the area had more to offer. Whenever a human had sussed the place out, they quickly decided to relocate and thrive elsewhere. Unfortunately for an office plant this choice is an impossibility. Once brought in, they never leave again. Unless of course, it's in a garbage bag.
A new era had begun, or so Benjamin, the ficus had deduced. He had shared the desk he was placed on with many different human beings over time, but for a while now he'd been left to his own devices. Lately, Benjamin noticed a shift in the air. Posters, pens and stationary all changed colour, from green to red. Even the letters on these items had changed. All these developments might have been daunting if he had to face them alone, but with 8 others of his kind around him he was in great company.
Another dried up, brown leaf let go of one of Benjamin's branches and joined the others gathered on the soil below. He ignored this and instead kept up his spirits. Surely someone would water him soon enough. One of the dracaena twins, Charley, who stood one desk over, had taken notice of Benjamin's falling leaves. However, he chose not to say anything about it, because he didn't want to make his friend feel self-conscious over something that might very well be fixed in the immediate future anyway.
Charley was separated from his twin Burley. He had the surface of a large dresser to himself. Well, he shared it with a framed, company poster. A lifeless one that is. All it contained were empty promises.
Over by the window sill stood the croton twins Sunny and Simon. Their leaves often turned a bright shade of yellow, especially during the summer. It was their subtle way of communicating with the humans that a spot near such a source of heat might not be best for them. This worked only half of the time though. A human would notice and then temporarily move them a bit further away from the scorching, glass frame allowing them to survive another day.
The final set of twins were the cacti Cliff and Claude. Their location was the most dismal of them all. Because of their small size they'd been placed side by side on a dusty, red, plastic stepping stool against the backdrop of a glorious white wall of nothingness. Unlike what most might believe about cacti, the twins were not prickly at all. As soon as the sun sank into the horizon and the humans called it a day it was always Cliff or Claude who immediately cracked a joke or burst out into a ridiculously made up song. They might be tiny, but their personalities were grand. Numerous times they offered Sunny and Simon to trade places with them. Hailing from from a hot and dry land they wouldn't mind the window sill one bit. It never came to be though. It was up to the humans and they just didn't seem to understand the needs and wants of each individual plant.
Of late the cactus twins had been more quiet. In fact Lance, the calathea, who stood on the desk directly opposite Benjamin couldn't remember the last time he'd heard them sing.
He whispered to Benjamin, "Hey, what's going on with Cliff and Claude over there? I can't see. You're closer."
Benjamin took a peek at the cactus twins.
"They seem to be sleeping," he whispered back.
"They seem to be doing that almost nonstop lately. Wake them up," Lance urged.
"No," said Benjamin, "let them sleep. They probably need their rest."
Lance grumbled and turned his leaves towards the windows. Warm rays of sunshine slowy began streaming through them.
Simon glanced over at Sunny and Leah, the sansevieria, who stood between them.
"Good morning Sunny, Leah!"
Sunny and Leah looked at Simon. "Good morning. What are you looking so chuffed about?" Sunny asked.
"Well," Simon began in a hushed tone, "today is the day. New humans will arrive."
Sunny and Leah perked up.
"What was that?" Benjamin asked, standing a bit taller in his pot on the desk. "I heard something about humans."
"Yes." Simon responded a little louder this time so everyone could hear. "I overheard a conversation yesterday. They're bringing in new humans. Two of them!"
"Oh boy!" Burley and Charley piped up in unison.
"Maybe they will know about plants!" Lance said, opening up his leaves to catch some rays of sun.
"Oh Lance I sure do hope you're right." Sunny looked at Simon. "Maybe we'll finally be relocated!"
"That is the dream," Simon said while smiling broadly.
Amidst the animated chatter and speculation around him, Benjamin sunk deeper into his thoughts. He wondered if one of the humans would be seated at his desk. He hoped with all his might that they would adore plants. He remembered the older gentleman sitting one desk over from Lance. A desk that was noticably devoid of any greenery. Aside from the computer, keyboard and mouse, nothing more than a phone and a holder for a pen or two cluttered up the space. Benjamin never really understand it. Humans need plants and trees and flowers to survive. How any of them could live without was a mystery to him.
Benjamin's daydreaming came to an abrupt halt when the first human walked in the office. A harsh, artificial light filled the room and shortly after so did the upbeat tones of a familiar song.
Simon's leaves slumped a little. It was his secret hope that the new humans might also change the station on the radio for once.
The song hadn't even finished playing when two more humans walked in. One of them, a lady with a bright smile on her wrinkled face, which was framed by a big bunch of blonde curls. The other one, dressed in all purple, tucked a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. She wore a gentle smile on her pale, freckled face.
All the plants in the room observed the newcomers. Would this be the beginning of better days?
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