The Rose Stripper in Misc. Thoughts opinions, the whole trash can.

Okay I know what your thinking, so get all these erotic thoughts out of your mind.
I was a High School Junior when is occurred.

Roses, the flowers, got stripped, of thorns etc, depending on the use. Most florist’s had a tool, or if your fingers got tough enough, you could strip a stem. I was able to do it, at one time… Kill me today ( HARRRRRRR!!!!). Stop that !!.

Mr Graul bought a rose stripper, and it was electric, and was supposed to strip thorns and stems, off a bunch off Roses. There were rubber fingers, two columns, about 6 inches high, a hood, and they took off the leaves and thorns. The hood, deflected the waste to the floor. It did work, it did “UNTIL”.

The scenario… Wedding…BIG and special miniature Roses.

I was called upon, from my usual tasks, to go to the Trimmer’s Greenhouse at 23rd and Perry Street. They did nothing but Roses. Mr Graul ordered the best from them, and they delivered the product.

I arrived at Trimmer’s, called in as asked, if he needed more. I picked up the roses and the invoice. The older women that worked there were always nice to me. Probably thought what a dumb fuck, this kid is…lol. Hey I was respectful, and I was’nt looking for anything. I was an awkward teen… in 1969.

I have 6 bunches of miniature roses, these will go to bouquets for the Brides maids.. He says we’re busy, strip these in the stripper. GULP, “Mr Graul, I think the thorns on these are too dense. We have run through and lost stuff, when the small thorns grab the stems and rip them through your hands”. “Strip them and bring them in”. GULP!! Well all was going good, and I had a bunch of pink miniatures, and FUCK!!, all these went through the stripper… These were “Gold”, and 2 survived, out of 25.

I confess, after I retrieve the heads, and I got lambasted. “God Damn..go back to Trimmers, I’m calling in another order”. I am on the way…I get to Trimmer’s the old ladies said. “George miscalculate the order?”. No, a problem I suppose. They would know, if he related what happened. Got the replacements, back to the shop, me and the “Dodge”.

I come into the shop, I have the Roses, Mr. Graul says..”Give these to me you dumb ass, and get ready to deliver to Lutheran Hospital and then go to Davis Brothers”. I start loading the truck, I hear the Rose Stripper starting, I said “Mr Graul be careful, because the rubber fingers grab the small thorns and rip them out of your hand”. “You worry about the deliveries, I’ll handle this”. He starts, stripping the roses, and like what happened to me, happened to him. He has the whole bunch, ripped from his hands, and the rose stripper, ate the whole bunch, the PINK MINIATURES. All that survived were rose heads. A barrage of profanity, Go GO NOW!! to Trimmer’s!! I was lucky I had two arrangements in the truck, and brought them back out. He calls Trimmer’s again. I arrive to the old ladies again.

“What in the hell is going on there?’ I relate the story, they about fell over laughing. “Tell George, the well is empty, if he messes this order, its gonna be a while”. I get back to the shop. “Go to Lutheran, deliver these 4 arrangements, go to Davis Brothers.. Call me!!” “Yes Sir”

It all worked out, the bouquets were as they should be, all of the mini’s were used elsewhere…The Rose stripper, well it wasn’t used much after that …