Those individuals don't have to be human. They can be your dog - or your favourite chrysanthemumplant.

I sank down into a chair, and my plastic cup of mums fell, breaking two stems.

In Australia, the chrysanthemum is the flower of choice, while British mothers are happy with a bunch of spring flowers.

I wondered who the stumbling subway woman’s cousin was, how “the kid” died, in a knife fight or from withering illness, what flower arrangement she had in mind (chrysanthemums?

He fed it chrysanthemum petals and tended to its wounds until it was strong enough to fly. Then he took it to the forest and let it go.