I pulled into the driveway and parked my car. Putting the car in park, I waited for Aubrey to emerge from her friend’s house. While waiting, I glanced around the front yard, noticing a bird feeder hanging from a shepherd’s hook, a shovel leaning against the garage, and a big, old tree.
Upon closer inspection, the tree seemed almost ideal for climbing. If a couple of 1×4 pieces of board were nailed to the trunk, one could reach the lowest branches.
During my elementary school years, outdoor play was a common pastime. Although we were instructed not to venture down to the lake, we frequently disobeyed.
Walking through the fields, we explored the undeveloped area, where deep grooved jeep tracks wound around clumps of pine trees and through wild blackberry brambles.
One of my favorite spots was a group of mature trees that had never been trimmed or pruned. The branches started low on the trunk. I would begin ascending the branches near the ground and work my way up the trunk until I was 30, maybe 40, feet from the ground. Then, I would find a corner to lean back and recline. The tall grasses below rustled, and the waves of the nearby lake softly lapped the shore. But it was the leaves and the blue sky that felt the closest. There was no purpose to the activity, other than to climb, sit, and be “high up”.
My friends and I continued to climb this cluster of trees until I moved the summer after 6th grade.
I believe I rode my bike there a summer or two later. Someone had purchased the land where my favorite climbing tree in the bunch resided. The tree was now situated in someone’s backyard and was deemed off-limits.
The last time a tree was climbed was during the summer between my Senior year of High School and going off to college. I was dating a guy who enjoyed working on engines. He took me to a shop out in the country one day. I wasn’t particularly into him, nor was I interested in engines.
While waiting for him, I observed a tortoiseshell farm cat sunning itself on the gravel drive. An old rake and other rusty tools leaned against the pole barn siding. A big tree stood on the property…it appeared to be a pretty good climbing tree. I sat there remembering blue sky, the rough bark, and the surrounding leaves. After a couple of minutes, I grabbed my book off the front seat. Exiting the car, I distractedly shut the door, and walked towards the tree.
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