Waiting 1.5 meters behind the person at the flower counter to finish their purchase, all at once, in an unexpected movement, I watched the clerk swing the bouquet of roses off the wrapping paper on the counter top and stick it under the counter; momentarily out-of-sight. At the same instant, the sound of a whirring motor could be heard. It took a minute to realize that the clerk was dethorn-ing the stems of the bouquet. First time for everything!