The Treeman (OLD)

The Treeman

Everyone should become a tree once in their lifetime. Then you'd understand the utter boredom little old me has to go through. I can't move you see, being a tree and all.

Each day, I sit here on the fresh cut grass, watching the comings and goings of park dwellers. There's always a dog walker, that buff runner, this sweet, old couple, the leaf blower guy, and some kids running around. Same old same old. You might ask how I can see and hear all these things, since you humans are a nosy bunch. Well the answer's simple: I have a face. But you can't see it. I bet you're forming weird mental images of a tree with a face now. Stop it.

I do get the occasional squirrel scurrying in my branches but mostly it's birds. Those pesky birds. They dig their tiny claws into my bark and shit all over my new leaves. Damn birds. I can't do anything though. I'm a tree.

That's why I was so surprised when this little girl came running up to me with the biggest smile in the world, bringing the sunshine in her wake. I'm serious, the clouds literally parted for her. I blinked at her sluggishly - boredom does that to you - and she reached out and hugged me right round the waist. Yes the 'waist', deal with it.

"Tree! Tree!" She giggled. "Love you!" She looked about three.

Her folks came over, smiling at her antics. The wife leaned on the husband's shoulder, lightly wrapping both hands round his arm... yeah sorry. I observe people a lot. The toddler patted me very carefully and then zoomed off across the park, laughing and babbling. Her parents chased after her.

I'd forgotten about her until she came running to me a week later, grin brighter than ten suns put together. "I'm back, Tree! Hello!" She giggled, hugged, patted and ran off once again.

And so began these strange encounters, right up to the end of summer. It was strange though. I found myself looking forward to her visit each week.

On the first day of autumn, she didn't come. I waited. And waited. Then I waited some more. Weeks passed. I watched the leaves being kicked up by the chill winds. The rain soaked me, tapping on my leaves like a drum. Even the park's critters had abandoned me. Little old me. Fewer people came and the park became more silent. Hello! Hello, Tree! The sun, the sun! Tree! I closed my eyes and let winter take me. The rush of cold tore the final leaves from my branches, forcing me into dormancy.

When I opened my eyes in spring, I heard a familiar voice. "Where could she have run off too?" It was the girl's mother. She looked around the vast expanse of green, worry etched on her face. Her husband wore a similar expression. They agreed to split up to cover more ground and hurried off in opposite directions.

I don't know what happened to me but I was looking at them and I just got the weirdest feeling. Like... I was separating from myself.

Do you want to help her? Do you want to bring her home? A voice asked me.

Yes. I told it, and so it released me.

I stood there awhile, staring at my faded hands and my faded feet. I cast a glance back at my faded, leather cloak and the weird antler branches sticking out of my back. It was all very surreal. I looked at my 'body'... from outside my body. I was no longer a tree. Eh. I went to look for her as promised.

The thing about this park is that it's not simply a 'park'. See, my mute brothers and sisters all crowd one side of it, turning half of it into a 'forest'. Albeit a small one, it was still a proper forest with bushes and mushrooms and everything. I stepped inside, listening to the whisper of their leaves and the sap flowing in their trunks. They told me where the squirrels were. They told me that spring had come early this year. I told them I was looking for a human girl and they found her for me. I treaded lightly but I needn't have bothered; my body might as well have been made of feathers. I heard sniffling in the distance. So I followed it. I found her in a sunlit glade, trembling and crying and sitting on a bed of flowers. A firefly or two drifted over her head. The forest had protected her, and now it was my turn.

I approached her and extended my hand. "Hey." In an effort to sound friendlier, I added, "Let's go back."

She looked up with wide, teary eyes. Sobbing, she tackled me in a fierce hug. I hugged her back. It was nice. By the time we'd made the tree line, she spotted her unhappy father returning to the meeting place by my real body. I opened my mouth to call him but the girl took off running. I watched his look of amazement break into pure joy as he swung her in his arms. I smiled. Her daddy scolded her gently and then they called for mummy. Mummy came running and soon they were reunited, a family again. The little girl's eyes shone as she pointed to the forest and at me. The parents looked at me, through me, puzzled. Ah, I see. I approached them, hardly stirring the leaves sprinkled on the grass.

"The Treeman helped me! He came to find me!" She insisted. "He's right there! Look!"

Her folks exchanged looks. "Is that so?" said her father in an I-don't-believe-you-but-as-long-as-you're-happy way.

They began heading home, parents on either side of her. I gave a small wave when she looked. She grinned cheekily and slipped her left hand free to wave back. "I'll come back! See you soon!"

See you soon, kiddo. It wasn't long before they'd walked to the front gate and out of sight. I pondered my situation. Was I even a tree anymore? I know I said I was bored and that I couldn't move, but...

What is your wish? The voice asked again.

I knew exactly what I wanted. "Home."

Once again, I don't know what happened. But suddenly, I was staring at that sweet, old couple in the distance. They walked hand in hand, whiling away their time in each other's precious company. A small finch came fluttering over and settled on my branches. It chirped and twittered, heralding the coming of spring.

I glanced up at it. I smiled. It was good to be home.