Yesterday, I'm glad I did.
I met Diona and Dante. Diona is 5, Dante, well he's in 3rd grade so let's say 9. They had a lot of questions for me: where do you live? are you a teacher? how do you spell your name? what's your full name?
The meeting made me smile, but more importantly it would lead to what happened today:
I approached "the block" and about 20 people, half adults, half children, are out enjoying the weather. I almost didn't walk down the block, feeling like I would be intruding... but then I saw Diona -- so I thought it was safe: I had a connection!
I hear a mom call out, "Stop pulling on that tree!"
Three kids, including Diona were destroying a tree on their block, pulling the leaves off and yanking at the low hanging branches until they touched the sidewalk...
The demand didn't seem to stop them.
Me: Hi Diona
She looks at me, pretty puzzled...
my hair is up and I just got back from a run and didn't look like I did the other day.
Diona: What's your name again?
Me: "Beth"
I lean in closely to her and her "cousins" who are tearing at the tree and whisper:
"Hey, you know, that tree is alive..."
Cousin 1: IT IS???!?! -he immediately lets go of the branch and drops the leaves from his hands. They hit the cement.
Me: Yeah...
Diona: So... is it talking...?
Me: Well, yea and I mean, I bet if we could hear it, it would say stop pulling on me and ripping off my leaves...
I got 2 out of the three kids to stop... they seemed pretty intrigued with the idea of that tree being alive...
But there was still one who didn't seem to be listening.
Me: Diona, who's this? pointing at the kid still using the tree as a see-saw
Diona: That's my cousin...
Me: Well, tell your cousin that this tree is alive...
I walk away... I mean, the moms are like, who is this girl?
I look back and hear:
Diona: Hey, stop pulling on that tree - it's alive!
By the time I got to the end of the block - they were no longer hanging on the tree.
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