Frustrated at getting home late, I put up the Christmas tree tonight with my 5 yr old Daughter Mary aka "peanut."
Father and Daughter hung the tree with care, 50’s bubble lights Tinsel, and even some antique christmas bulbs from occupied Japan were passed from little hand to big hand and placed just so.
Father and Daughter hung the tree with care, 50’s bubble lights Tinsel, and even some antique christmas bulbs from occupied Japan were passed from little hand to big hand and placed just so.
All was going swimmingly until Peanut said,"Daddy, the tree is a little crooked."
Daddy who we know lives by the square and the compass, got down on his back and scooted under the tree trying to right the tree by pushing at its base.
While doing this, our pup “Lucy’ joined in to help by licking at my face. And from the other side, our kitten “Vester batted my sock with her little sharp claws.
"A little more this way Daddy," came the tiny voice from above pointing to a unknown direction I couldn't see.
Deep in the evergreens, I pushed at the base with both hands and I had just about got the tree into a straight position, when there came a turn for the worse. Vester had suddenly hooked my big toe with his sharp little claw and woulnd’t let go. I let out a holler and the tree, a glorious Scotch pine up ended and crashed over atop me.
Mary screamed and ran to call 911, as I had instructed her to do if there was ever such an accident and mommy or daddy were in peril.
"My Daddy's under the Christmas tree and can't get up," she screamed tearfully at the dispatcher.
Unable to get the tree off me to field the call, I just lay there under the limbs with my feet doing pirouettes and all the blinking and bubble lights boiling furiously around my face and torso, giving me a somewhat of singed evergreen smell under the 50 lbs of tinsel and lights. My mind raced how to handle the call and yet get the tree off me without shorting myself out and ruining a collection of 60 yr old Christmas bulbs in the process.
"Peanut give me the phone, " I yelled to her, over the sounds of the dog barking at the cat. "Now! " I commanded.
She clandestinely passed me the phone under the tree, and I talked the dispatcher out of sending out, what I'm sure would have been, the national guard.
"Are you all right Sir? " She demanded to know.
I told her from the confines of my glittering paradise that it might take me a minute but that I would surely be of here in due time, and out of harms way. "Just hold off sending out the cruiser. ”
Undaunted, she then put the police on.
"Have you been drinking Sir?" They asked
Cross eyed … I assured them that my present position was not caused by alcohol, however they could try me back on New Years Eve for an update if I was still here.
It took about 5 minutes, but I got the tree off without giving myself a jolt of 110 volts by the house current.
They called back to check on me. Besides having a perpetual evergreen suntan and seeing tiny bulbs flash with eyes closed, everything was ok.
I had peanut in the bath and ready for Santa with cookies and milk within the magic hour ......
So very glad and thankful Christmas comes but once a year
Michael
Other blog posts by Michael: Taking the Plunge, The Breath of Healing, Magus of Stone, Buried Alive
Click Here to Read Books Michael Recommends: The Presence Process A Journey into Present Moment Awareness
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Drummond Davidson is a historic masonry conservator whose work takes him all over the world. He lives in the deep woods of Mississippi on a 65 acre horse farm with his wife and preservation architect, Belinda . Michael considers his real work raising his 11 old daughter Mary aka “Peanut."
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