tree

2020-08-17

I was a small old woman, and we were pruning the top off an old tree that was growing next to an old blue two story house.

When we were done, it was my job to climb up to the top to inspect the work.

I free climbed up to the top, no harness, no lines, no nothing. I could see scars on the tree where it had been cut back in the past.

The climb back down was more challenging. I was getting scratched up, and I slipped a few inches a few times. About half way down, my left hand locked up and I couldn’t grip the trunk or any holds any longer. I scuttled the rest of the way down, but my hand reminded frozen. I couldn’t close it or make a fist any longer.