VII. Tree House, 3/5ths Up

The boys were on a roll. “The factory” was turning out steps like gang busters while Eddy and his welding prodigy worked feverishly (it seemed) to get the third ramp of stairs in place. As usual, being at the office during the morning, I didn’t have to watch them as they did it, stretching arms out while welding a support in place all while balancing on an inch wide horizontal on one leg.


Hopping off my scooter I could see the third flight and loved how I high up into the trees it sat. Eagerly, I almost jogged over to see it from beneath. Eddy was standing at the base with arms crossed high on his chest as he tends to do while watching his lads at work, but as I approached he walked over to meet me.


“Hey there Santa!” I greeted him joyously.


Not getting the joke, nonetheless he smiled uncertainly asking “What?”


“Eddy, you MUST be Santa, because every day I come home to see what’s going on around my tree and it feels exactly like Christmas morning.”


“Ahhh!” he laughed, liking the comparison to Saint Nick.



He declared, “If you want, you can go up to the third platform. The railing is only half supported so be very careful. We are high enough now to see the mountains behind Clark! You're going to love it. It's beautiful.”


I had never seen Eddy so animated. His excitement was catching hold of me.



“Really? Can I go up now?” and up I went without waiting for an answer.


Sure enough, for the first time since moving into the subdivision I could see the Zombales Mountains to the west. It was amazing. Suddenly my world had expanded to scores of miles beyond the inside of my little walled yard.


Elated, I declared “Only two more flight to go Eddy. I can’t wait!” I stood there for a good ten minutes, although feeling a bit shaky, more than 30 feet up, torn between the feelings of precariousness and excitement, staring at my newly extended horizons while feeling decidedly unsteady at the lack of support around me.


“I’ll get out of the way now, so you guys can finish this railing.”


Even on the ground I was still drunk from the freedom of being high up in my trees.


‘This was REALLY a GOOD idea!’