RAMBLINGS OF THE MIND
“Inexperienced perhaps, but not dumb, sir, no.“
“I agree,”
“That I am not dumb, sir?”
“That, too. But I also strongly believe that if trees are made for something, a bench maybe, then the only way to make a wooden bench is to cut a tree.”
“I die, therefore I am.”
“Are you guys t-t-t-talking about my b-b-b-butt again?”
Both men winked at each other, smiling.
“Good old oaks that we are know a good butt when we see one, bwahahaha.”
“Strauss, you d-d-d-dirty old oak. I come from a well-bred f-f-f-family of cedars. Careful, th-th-th-there are young c-c-c-cedars all around.
“Sir, can I ask you a question?” Bob whispered.
“We would be sitting here for the rest of our lives, so we might as well get to know each other well. I feel you, man.”
“I see a trunk cut and some widow-makers or dead branches which were snapped off not so long ago. What happened to the tree?”
“Some story, that was. A long story that you don’t want Trisha to be reminded of.”
“We have a lifetime ahead of us sir. You can start from the beginning.”
“Three years ago, one summer morning, when the joggers were gone, and people start passing by, with coffee in one hand, and newspaper on the other, I still clearly remember those two people, with hardhats, stopped right in front of Trisha. They sat down and spread a huge sheet of paper, and started pointing all over the park.”
Bob, sat there quietly as Strauss continued his narrative, almost whispering to avoid Trisha from hearing it.
“Then one stood up and went to Trish, then looked around her, pointed at the dead branches all around the other trees, then pointed at me, and then sat back with the other one.”
Strauss, raised his hand to stop Bob from interrupting. “Then the other one stood up and went to Twiggee, walked around her, then pointed right at the spot where you are now.”
As he was walking back toward the other man, the guy took his radio and said something on it. I didn’t have to know what they were talking about because a few minutes later more people came, with ropes, chainsaws, and more hardhats.” This time, Strauss was short of breath, as if he was sobbing.
In the afternoon, more equipment came and more hardhats. The park was closed to the people, so I couldn’t hear anyone talking and the chainsaw was starting to sound really scary.
“Earlier I agreed with you that there is nothing wrong with the cutting of the trees, but it is the way they are cutting it. That is wrong.”
“Yes, sir, indeed,” there is no stopping Bob from interrupting. “They have to plant new trees before they cut some. ”
“Inasmuch as I believed the only way I will exist is for me to die first. Like I have to be born again.”