The Tree

I was giving my daughter her usual bedtime story last night when she asked if I had any true stories about Christmas trees. I started laughing right away. Of course I have had many (we do have cats) but the one that was an instant reminder of laughter was a rare moment of joy in my childhood.

One year my sisters and I went with my mom and dad to pick out the all-important tree. This was always a big event and, looking back, many of these times (tree searching) were actually positive memories. We picked a nifty 9 foot tree (we always got the huge trees). The tree lot folks loaded that puppy on top of our Nova Super Sport, baby blue, 4 door wagon. I was five, making my sisters six and nine at the time.

We got on the highway headed home with that tree tied down with the wonderful waxy twine they used. My oldest sister asked us what we thought would happen if we pulled the very nice bow that came together in the middle of the back seat. It was where the string from all four windows came together. I was smart enough to realize something not great would happen, but my very gullible middle sister went for it. I remember the moment like a slow motion scene in a movie as the string started slipping through the windows and my sisters and I all turning around looking out the back window watching our beautiful tree fly off the back of the car.

I started roaring with laughter, which of course made my oldest sister follow suit. My middle sister sat there scared of the consequences (they were usually severe in my home). My mother couldn't help but laugh since the two of us had totally lost it in the back. My father looked ready to explode saying not a word as he turned the car around getting back to the spot of trouble. Luckily we were in the right lane and the tree actually fell to the side of the road. Upon our return our lovely tree was still there not looking too shabby (probably a good thing for my sister).

With my mother and us two pipsqueaks in the back all howling with laughter my father somehow, in a very rare moment, saw humor and joined in allowing my sister not to fear for her life on this evening and enjoy the moment as well.

After we finished laughing at the story, my daughter reminded me last year when we got the tree they put it on my car and I insisted on a knot (no bow). I didn't remember that but she did. I'm sure when we go pick out another lovely noble fir I will once again ask for the twine to be knotted, but I'll see the vision play out in my head of that string slipping through the windows of the Nova and turning around laughing as I watched our tree like a rocket shoot off the back of the car.

Peace and may your season remind you of laughter.

Now off to your updates, enjoy 'em!

Elisa

Birds of Prey

• Words Not Needed by Debbie (ShatterStorm Productions FemSlash Advent Calendar: The Dead of Winter 2006).
  
  Voyager
  
• Bothered and Bewildered by Elizabeth E. Carter (ShatterStorm Productions FemSlash Advent Calendar: The Dead of Winter 2006).