# An odd thing happened. What does it mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 26, 2005, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-thing-happened-what-does-it-mean/296296 "2005-03-26T01:23:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-thing-happened-what-does-it-mean/296296/1 "2005-03-26T01:23:59Z")
I was just shaking out rugs on the porch when I saw the spreading leaves of a large plant. I’d been outside about an hour before, and was pretty sure that I hadn’t seen it. Looking more closely, I saw two large potted bromeliads. I took them inside… no note, no letter, no phone message, no clue as to how they got there. Does anybody have any ideas? Puzzled, Anise ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-thing-happened-what-does-it-mean/296296/2 "2005-03-26T01:27:04Z")
Something to do with Easter? I promise I’m going to put a stop to this being the first to reply to every. single. thread I see. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-thing-happened-what-does-it-mean/296296/3 "2005-03-26T01:30:23Z")
Bromeliads are notoriously pissy plants. If they are taken into a household where they are neglected, there is domestic unrest, or they don’t like the other plants then they will leave to find a new home. Close to their native habitat, they will go plant themselves outside but they are smart enough to find a more suitable environment in temperate climates. The fact that they chose your house says something good about you. It is a big responsibility to take care of them and keep them happy. Beware though. The episode of the Twilight Zone involving the “Talking Tina” doll was based on a real-life account of two potted bromeliads. ---
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-thing-happened-what-does-it-mean/296296/4 "2005-03-26T01:33:47Z")
Don’t go giving me weird ideas, PLEASE. I’m very suggestible. :rolleyes: Seriously, though, this actually did happen. It just doesn’t make any sense. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-thing-happened-what-does-it-mean/296296/5 "2005-03-26T01:50:18Z")
Secret admirer? Secret admirer who got the wrong address? That’s all I got. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-thing-happened-what-does-it-mean/296296/6 "2005-03-26T02:14:59Z")
Depending on just how potted the bromeliads are, they’ll probably just go home when they sober up. Ow! Ow! Not the face! ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-thing-happened-what-does-it-mean/296296/7 "2005-03-26T02:22:10Z")
I had the same thing happen once, but with a package of diapers after I’d had a baby. Nobody ever confessed to leaving them. Consider yourself to have been visited by the gift fairy. And the best part is, you don’t have to write a thankyou card! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-thing-happened-what-does-it-mean/296296/8 "2005-03-26T02:23:45Z")
They’re triffids. ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-thing-happened-what-does-it-mean/296296/9 "2005-03-26T04:43:50Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Beware though. The episode of the Twilight Zone involving the “Talking Tina” doll was based on a real-life account of two potted bromeliads. "My name is Talking Tina… " What an awesome episode. And I am way too old 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-thing-happened-what-does-it-mean/296296/10 "2005-03-26T06:30:44Z")
Your name wouldn’t be Seymore by any chance? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-thing-happened-what-does-it-mean/296296/11 "2005-03-26T07:07:58Z")
Maybe it was our member, **carnivorousplant** , misplacing an Easter gift. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-thing-happened-what-does-it-mean/296296/12 "2005-03-26T10:06:25Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Bromeliads are notoriously pissy plants. If they are taken into a household where they are neglected, there is domestic unrest, or they don’t like the other plants then they will leave to find a new home. Close to their native habitat, they will go plant themselves outside but they are smart enough to find a more suitable environment in temperate climates. The fact that they chose your house says something good about you. It is a big responsibility to take care of them and keep them happy. > > Beware though. The episode of the Twilight Zone involving the “Talking Tina” doll was based on a real-life account of two potted bromeliads. Now waaait a minute… I had a bromeliad in a pot just outside my door… Then it was gone… Hummm Of course, it disappeared in 1991, it sure took a long time for it to walk to your house. I wonder … maybe it was with child when it left…and that’s why there are two at your house…