The Maple

With hands on my hips I stare sharply up at this culprit with wide leaves and towering stature. The squirrels won’t be happy after dad cuts down this maple on the curve of the driveway. Their squirrel highway will be interrupted. So, they’ll need to learn how to fly or find a way around this conundrum. Would the squirrels even use the word conundrum if they could speak? I think to myself getting off track. A big hole of light will appear, I notice from this angle. We’ve always needed more light on this property anyways.

The maple has been growing for forty years on this corner of the drive and now that it’s been shedding dead branches – a ripe scenario for someone to get hurt or a windshield to get smashed in dad quickly reminds me – he has decided to cut it down. I feel a pang of sympathy for this behemoth. All it’s doing is living itsmaple tree life, doing maple tree things, isn’t it? But, I shouldn’t feel too bad,maples they really don’t die, if you cut them down the story is not over, a new one can sprout, the roots are still alive and kicking and wreaking havoc on the water line since its right next to where he dug the well – the maple was just a sapling when he dug the well and at the time he told himself he likes maples – they turn so brilliant gold and orange in the fall – his favorite season.

But, this tree has turned into a nuisance like so many other things lately that has its firm grip on dad’s attention. The mice in the barn, the weeds trying to strangle you in the night, the lawn that doesn’t stop growing, the mower making weird noises. Now, that big maple needs to be dealt with quickly but not without pain, dad scoffs. The mess it’ll make he said. The leaves, the branches – I’ll have wood for forty more years and where am I gonna put it all. Wood wealthy, he says. At least I’ll be wood wealthy. But, now that the maple and dad are a few years older it won’t be so easy-peasy on the ol’ body. He’ll recruit his brother, he thinks. Someone who is as old, and ornery, plus has vision problems to boot. “A perfect recruit,” I whisper to myself with a sigh letting my hands fall to my side. I look straight ahead past the red roofed barn and the field, to more maples with a slight smile on my face.