Best overheard Q&A from my club's exhibition

My club, the Bonsai Society of Greater St. Louis, recently held our fall exhibition. I spent three days at the show answering questions, tasering drunk men who grabbed foliage pads to see if the trees were real, etc.

There were many very good questions, and a few funny questions, as well ("when it says 'age' and 'years in training', is that talking about the trees or the artists?")...but the best question came from a boy hurrying through the exhibit with his grandmother.

Boy: "Grandma...I don't understand...aren't these usually shaped like animals?"

Grandma: "Yes."

Now that's one I've never heard.

jersanct wrote:
Boy: "Grandma...I don't understand...aren't these usually shaped like animals?"

Man, thats gotta be the best!!

A Hui Hou,
-Tim

The boy had been to Disney World near Orlando, FL. On the entrance roads they have large containers planted with shrub material and shaped as animals, usually related to Disney themes. Sometimes Disney uses a metal form and vines also.

All I can add to this is, many-many years ago on a permission granted field collecting trip, a couple of new enthusiasts were moaning. Both said similar:

" We give up, there is nothing here, not one of these things looks like a Bonsai, when are we ever going to find a Bonsai tree?"

Mike