Cactus Man

We remember Gerd Loser      + April 14, 2007

Gerd died 8 years ago. We were friends.

I attended the funeral.

My choice of plant surprised some.

8 years later, its growth has raised many a smile.

Gerd’s in there – watching us.

And occasionally catching us with his spiked thorns.

Almost a year later

My, how he has grown!

And look at all those little hands

Waving hello to everyone around

OK, enough of the saying hello

Being here in the office is serious

Got things to do

Decisions to make

This business world is just give and take

Winter was wonderful

Lots of friends

But wave at too many

Smile once too often

And see what happens to those cute green ends

Couple of years go by

Now I stand high

More people to greet down in the street

They don’t hear me no matter how I loud I try

Here inside I speak to all

They hear as long I stand tall

Over 7 years now

My how time flies

I was thinking of becoming nicer

A red rose in disguise….

Thank God I quit smoking

It was a quiet winter

Now don’t do much

No coffee in the morning

Don’t go out for lunch

….Yulitta gives me regular drink

This boredom is driving me up the wall

Same smoke alarm up here

Same faces below

They keep telling me we’re moving

I can’t wait to go

And…..

This was the last picture taken of me

The guy with me is Korean

Was his name Lee?

I don’t remember

Time moves on

What tomorrow brings, we’ll see

This is my new home

They’ve given me room to grow

I love where I am

A place to settle and to show

Just who I am

And where I want to go

Starting to get used to this new life

I’m on the floor

But I’m tall now

I see them

They see me

I see them smiling

April showers

April sun

This is how we cactuses

Have real fun

We stretch, we sprout

What once was in comes out

A week later

Seen in a different light

Stand over there

See my might

In 1 year

It’ll be 10 years since

I stand tall now

But then I shall be me

I’m settling in now

Pleased to be seen

In a place

Where I feel I have always been

Had it not happened I would not be here

I think I am happy with that

This is a weight I can take

Brian from BC a new friend I make

He’s big, I’m bigger

This you can see

He grips a book for safety

My hands are free

Nice

It’s a book about me

In 4 months, it’ll be 10 years

In 3 months, they’re celebrating 25 years

They’ll all come to see me

I gotta grow

Only 6 cms. to go.

Just a few days to go

And don’t you know

Pride of place

My own space

Surrounded by friends

See the heart – This is love

I may be a cactus

But they know me inside

I stand tall

Hey – What’s this?

Something’s amiss

Surrounded by smiling businessmen

Some young, some old

What can have happened?

American Eagle is sold!

We’ve never had it so good

Bigger offices

Wider aisles

Pretty ladies

With wide smiles

How could I not grow, expand and multiply.

What more do I have to do

To prove I am me

I am magnificent

I am proof of life itself

This is me

And I am 1 meter 90!

Me in all my glory.

Another Christmas approaches

All admire me

All now respect me

For I stand tall

Yulitta, thank-you

For your constant care

A shall forever be grateful

..and taller than you!

It’s no good

No one listens to me

I watch them glance at me

They smile

They think that this is the way I normally stand

Don’t they remember??

I ALWAYS stood straight

But smile is OK

I can live with that.

Wow! I thought you’d all forgotten me!

I see new faces, I miss some old

Changes are happening

That’s life, I suppose

But I continue to stand here

Tall, proud and content

This time Stephen came

Thanks, Stephen

Friends are important

Haven’t seen Stephen for some time

But I’m so well looked-after

A weekly drink

A place in the light

Room to grow

People smiling every time they pass

This is my spot

From where I can see the business grow

My business…

It’s 13 years since I came here

How lucky for me

2.72 I’m told

But I can’t be that old

I think passersby still smile at me

But the smiles are hidden

Why?

These are strange times

But I don’t know why.

2020 – The year of the virus

For a long time

The rooms around me have been silent

The footsteps quiet

The walls without the usual echos

But I have flourished

I have spread my wings around my company

I am tall

I am proud

I am reaching for the skies

For my people are good

They are strong-willed

They, too, know how to stand straight

Together, we shall…..

Well, we did!

And what now?

I see so many changes

New faces from other places

Does anyone know who I am?

Outside I see no hugging

This has been a year of change

I need to move

I need to move, I said

That was months ago

This is not what I had planned

I so enjoy seeing the faces pass me by

Old ones, new ones

Friends and new acquaintances

But my neck hurts

I need to stand tall

I am Gerd Loser

Oof! Where’s Stephen?

He usually takes my picture.

He’s funny; he makes me smile

Even though my neck hurts from this low ceiling.

I need to move…

Does nobody care any more!!?

I want to stretch my wings..

I’m being ignored here

Look at them

Looking at me

They’re telling stories about me

They think I really look like this

But I stood straight

I was known for standing straight