Another precis on "The Chrysanthemums"

In wintry Salinas Valley, Elisa, using her gloves, uses her "planter's hands" to prune her chrysanthemums.  Henry, Elisa's husband, asks Elisa if she wants to go to the fights.  Elisa replies, "Oh, no...I wouldn't like fights."  The two decide just to go to dinner.  When Henry leaves, Elisa observes a mender's wagon coming into the farm.  The mender and Elisa start talking about the chrysanthemums.  The mender mentions that the flowers are "...like a quick puff of colored smoke."  Elisa replies, "...What a nice to describe them!"  The mender says that he knows a lady down the road who would like chrysanthemums.  Bare-handed, Elisa  gives the mender the young chrysanthemums that she was preparing to plant in a flower pot.  She tells the mender tips for keeping the flowers moist. 

After the episode with the mender, Henry tells his wife that she is strong.  Elisa tells Henry not to talk like that.  Elisa then boasts that she is strong, but she does not know how strong she is.  When Henry and Elisa are in the car heading for dinner, Elisa sees her chrysanthemums on the road, without the flower pot.  After passing the wagon on the way to dinner, Elisa asks what happens at the fights.  Her husband replies by asking if she wants to go, but Elisa says no.  She then turns and cries, "like an old woman."