One morning my mother walked through the backyard carrying a basket of freshly washed clothes to hang out on the line. She heard me crying, but I was nowhere in sight. She followed my voice to a nearby great elm tree. In a flash she tilted her head back and scanned inside the leafy canopy. Spotting me glued to a branch near the top of the tree, she told me to come down. I can’t Mom I cried, I’m scared. She repeated her words more forcefully. Dick you climb down right this minute.I can’t Mom I said, I don’t know how.After staring at me a minute or so, she called out NOW DON’T YOU MOVE, I’LL BE RIGHT BACK. Disappearing into the house, mother returned with a paring knife. I saw her choose a low-hanging sturdy elm branch, the kind which inspires a boy to get religion quick. She severed it from the tree with a dramatic flourish, lopping off every green leaf. Wielding the denuded branch she said NOW YOU LISTEN TO ME DICK BARKER. DO YOU SEE THIS? IF YOU DON’T COME DOWN RIGHT NOW, I WILL CLIMB UP THERE AND SWITCH YOU ALL THE WAY DOWN! Yes ma’am I cried. Climbing down the 50 foot tree backwards proved frightful and slow. Finally I touched ground, silent, defeated. Mother tossed away the elm switch. Now don’t climb so high any more, you’ll get yourself killed. Come inside and clean yourself up. Years later I realized with a smile Mom couldn’t climb an elm tree. Father Barker +++
One morning my mother walked through the backyard carrying a basket of freshly washed clothes to hang out on the line. She heard me crying, but I was nowhere in sight. She followed my voice to a nearby great elm tree. In a flash she tilted her head back and scanned inside the leafy canopy. Spotting me glued to a branch near the top of the tree, she told me to come down. I can’t Mom I cried, I’m scared. She repeated her words more forcefully. Dick you climb down right this minute. I can’t Mom I said, I don’t know how. After staring at me a minute or so, she called out NOW DON’T YOU MOVE, I’LL BE RIGHT BACK.