On Returning Home

I rolled into the driveway about 1pm yesterday, well, I guess technically the day before it. No one was home, and I didn't feel like carrying all my stuff all by myself, so I smoked a cigarette, and walked around the lightly powdered yard. I came across the boxelder tree, and the memories began to run into my head without warning, not unlike a low branch.

This was the first tree I had ever climbed, I saw the familiar coarse chunk of bark that was large enough to make a perfect first step at one time. The only big limb left on the tree is the same one that had held up the tire swing that swung about a foot off the ground except that time Levi and Ivan put me in it, and twisted the rope up until I was at least five feet from the ground, then let it go, and I swung so fast I couldn't bend my neck or my knees.

The same branch that held the tire swing held Levi until he jumped and broke his foot, cast shade on the teeter-totter, has grown around a rusty old dog chain that has held Fritz, Nellie, Inky, and Molly.

A quarter of the way around the trunk from this branch is a sort of pocket, I would guess about a ten gallon hole, though it is not water-proof, Andy and I tested it back in the day, and much to our youthful surprise and awe, the water ran out in several places all around the trunk.

This pocket was a favorite hiding place for unwanted trash, such as the wrappers from the Freeze-Pop's that we stole from the basement freezer, and about ten years later, cigarette butts, so I threw mine in, and went in the house to put on some coffee and begin carrying my things in.

I did that, took a shower, and read until about 4:30 when my mom pulls in the driveway, honking the horn on my parents new car (that's not actually it, but it is the same model and color, and is totally sweet with stuff like voice recognition, and 300 horsepower), so I grab my coffee cup and throw on my coat to go check out the new caddy.

I get one foot out the back door and mom yells, "The tree's on fire!!"

And sure enough eight foot flames.