Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree  (E) Christmas 2016 #2105847 by Chris Breva

611 words


Piney stood tall and proud in the thicket as people scurried all around searching for that perfect Christmas tree. There were a variety of evergreens available on the Christmas tree farm. The owner George Marlett had planted everything from a blue spruce thicket to a white pine thicket. Piney was a Canaan Fir. He stood just over 7 feet tall and was about ten feet in diameter. His leaves or needles were dark green in color as compared to the red cedar, which had needles with a pinkish hue in the winter months. Yes! Piney would make an excellent Christmas tree. The problem was that most of the other trees in his thicket would also make excellent Christmas trees. It was the dream of any evergreen tree to become a Christmas tree. Doing so was an honor greater than any other.

Piney watched as tree after tree left the thicket and went to its new home Piney however wasn't selected. he knew that this would be the last Christmas for which he would have the opportunity to be a Christmas tree. In another year he would be much too big. today was the last day as well. Although Christmas was still two weeks away, Mr. Marlett had been in business long enough that he really didn't need the money so he was closing well before Christmas. Thus Piney knew that if he wasn't selected today he'd miss his opportunity to be a Christmas tree.

Group after group of people came into the thicket to get the popular Canaan firs. With each tree that was taken Piney's hopes would both wax and wane. He became excited because each tree taken was one less left to choose from. On the other hand he knew time was running out. If he wasn't selected soon he wouldn't be selected at all.

Soon Marrlett closed the farm for the season and Piney was still there. Piney's heart was broken because he had so wanted to be a Christmas tree. He could just see himself standing tall in somebody's house with an angel or star perched in his highest, ornate bulbs of gold, silver, red, blue, and green hanging from his branches, garland swirled everywhere on him, and electric lights blinking on and off. Oh what a tree he would have made! Now it was all merely a pipe dream because the farm was closed. In fact the sun had now set in the west. It was pitch dark. Piney couldn't see six inches in front of his eyes. Piney wanted to cry because he had not been selected. Now all hope was gone. Then he heard something. It was faint at first but it became louder and louder. It was George Marlett's voice!

"I normally wouldn't do this", Marlett said, "however because it's you I'm willing to make an exception."
"I understand", the other gentleman answered, "and I appreciate you being so thoughtful and considerate."
"Well maybe you'll be considerate of me in return one day", Marlett ventured.
"Soon", the voice responded, 'very soon."
Piney thought he recognized the voice of the other gentleman but he couldn't quite remember who it was. Both of the men were carrying flashlights, which blinded Piney just as much as the darkness had earlier. "I'll take this one"", the gentleman's voice said as he held one of Piney's limbs. "I think the Mrs. will like it."
Soon Piney was dug up as the gentleman requested, his roots and the earth around them wrapped in a rag, and he was loaded into what felt like a truck or something. Then the gentleman got into the vehicle and spoke. "Let's go Rudolph!"

611 words

2016 Quills Nominee Best Short Story