I sit cross-legged on my deck, clippers in hand, fingertips sticky. In front of me, a pot of pink petunias flower. This year, I am determined to care for them, to not let them get leggy or turn into sun-brittled husks. I snip away the Hershey’s-kiss-shaped seedpods, prune back tips to encourage new growth. I wonder if I am performing general maintenance on a body, or removing something vital to keep it in check. Up close, the soft petals flare, tiny gramophone horns without song, a held breath, an instinct to scatter wild and run to seed.
Jenny Wong is a writer, traveler, and occasional business analyst. Her favorite places to wander are Tokyo alleys, Singapore hawker centers, and Parisian cemeteries.