“Have you ever stopped to smell the roses?” asked Phoebe.

Claire shook her head no, “I’m always in a rush and honestly don’t like the smell of roses anyways.”

Phoebe stopped and bent down to a particularly perfect looking bed of roses. It seemed out of place with the rest of the yard being bare. Phoebe picked a rose, putting it behind her ear.

About a year ago I found myself on a swamp tour in the middle of Louisiana. It’s crazy to think back to those simpler times. For some reason I couldn’t shake the words, Hank, my charismatic tour guide let out. He seemed to have a routine of jokes he kept tucked away in his head. I wondered if these specific words were said to every group or if it was just mine. If you asked me that day I would have been sure every single group heard it but now I’m not so sure. Its almost like he was warning me and the words were meant to be trapped on repeat in my head.

Out of nowhere a rather strange ATM machine appeared on the sidewalk of Michigan avenue. A crowd of early morning commuters gathered to try and get a better look.