Eric stood in the courtroom, looking at the judge. He had hardly slept the last two days. Not because of the charges...because of how he had lost the only real friend he'd met since moving to St. Canard. Bushroot had gotten angry with him after learning that he had been drinking when he hit the tree near the greenhouse, although the alcohol had been virtually out of his system by then. Miserably, Eric realized he'd overlooked Bushroot's feelings about plants. Feelings literally shared by no one else. If only he could explain to Reggie that he hadn't meant to take his feelings lightly. It was only a tree...If he could only take that comment back.

"Mr. Smith." It was the judge.

Eric faced him. "Yes, Your Honor."

The judge started reading from a piece of paper. "You are charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol and damaging property. How do you plead?"

Not guilty." said Eric. Although he was. Guilty of a lot of things.

"Please recount the events of that evening."

Eric took a deep breath and began. "I had just lost my job. I drove to Duckburg because I had to get away. I went into a bar and started drinking."

"How long were you there?"

"A couple of hours. They threw me out when they closed around 11. I slept in the car for a while, then went home."

"Would you say that your judgement was impaired?"

"Not that I noticed."

The judge nodded. "Do you know how fast you were driving prior to the accident?"

Eric thought back to glancing at the speedometer just before seeing the animal. "Around 100 miles per hour."

"I see. What happened next?"

"I saw the animal. I swerved to avoid it, and lost control of the car. I hit a light pole, then went off the road and hit the tree."

"You say you were driving recklessly. Do you think you would have seen the animal in time to safely avoid it if you had not been?"

Eric nodded. "Probably."

"And could the alcohol have been a factor in the way you were driving?"

"Well, I was angry."

"Could the effects of the alcohol have enhanced your anger?"

Eric sighed. Could they get it over with?

"It's likely." he replied.

"Thank you." said the judge. "I'll return in a few minutes to render my judgement."

Eric sat down. His lawyer leaned close. "I think you'll get off." he said. "It is your first offense."

That didn't make Eric feel any better.

"I understand there are plans to cut that tree down. Since your accident, it's been declared hazardous." Eric was stunned. After everything else that had happened, this would be the last thing Bushroot needed. And he'd probably think Eric was responsible for that, too. In a way, he was.

The judge came back out and sat down.

"Mr. Smith." he said, "there is no doubt that you were driving recklessly that night, and that alcohol could very well have been a factor. However, I have checked your files with the RCMP and found that you have no criminal record in Canada and none here. In fact, you have never been charged with an offense."

Eric waited.

"So, considering the extenuating circumstances, I am inclined to release you on probation and reduce the charge to negligent driving. If you are not charged with a related offence for one year, the charges will be erased from your record."

Eric nodded. "This court is dismissed." said the judge with a bang of his gavel.

Bushroot sat in his greenhouse, his spirits almost as low as Eric's. He was beginning to feel bad about the way he had reacted to what had really happened. He believed that Eric was sorry for what he had done. It was just that it was an act of carelessness.

Reginald slowly realized that he was being very unfair. He was thinking about all the things that had been done to him in the past. A car being driven by a drunk driver hitting and injuring a large, beautiful tree just seemed like another slap in the face. But Eric wasn't like that. He was the one person who didn't give Reggie's appearance a second thought. Instead of being shocked or horrified at his plant abilities, Eric had been interested. He was truly grateful-not just for being alive because of Reggie, but because he had found a good friend in a strange place.

Bushroot got up and went for the phone. He was determined to make things right.

"Hello, this is Eric." It was an answering machine. "I've gone to Canardian Realty, but I should be back soon." Bushroot stood there and listened to the beep, stunned. Eric had gone to a real estate firm, which could only mean one thing-he intended to move away.

"Eric, this is Reggie." said Bushroot desperately. "I want to talk to you. Please don't..." Then the tape ran out, and his plea was rudely cut short by a loud beep. Reginald felt helpless. He had to do something.

Just then he heard the sound of a truck. Peering through the window, he saw a pickup stop right by the oak tree and two men get out. In horror, Bushroot saw that one of them had a chainsaw.

"No...no!" he cried. How could he stop this, without exposing himself? The answer was...he couldn't. In spite of himself, he felt a surge of anger at Eric. If he hadn't run into the tree...but the anger was quickly replaced by guilt. He felt tears in his eyes as he watched the man pull the cord and start the saw up. In seconds would come the cutting, and the pain Reginald knew he would feel...

But then another car arrived. It was a taxi. It screeched to a stop by the truck, and two men got out. One was dressed in a suit, the other...in a black T-shirt, track pants and a cast on his left arm. Bushroot's heart jumped. The man in the suit was carrying papers, which he showed to the chainsaw man. After talking for a moment, the chainsaw man stopped his machine, and he and his companion got into the truck and left. Eric and the suit talked for a minute, then he left in the taxi, leaving Eric standing there by the tree.

Bushroot felt a mix of happiness and puzzlement. Obviously, Eric had done something to stop the tree from being cut. But what? His answer was walking towards the greenhouse.

Eric had no sooner knocked on the door than Reginald threw it open. Both men stood there for a long moment, not knowing what to say.

"Er...come on in." said Reggie, standing aside to let Eric through.

"Thanks." replied Eric as he entered and sat on the couch. Reginald noticed he had a paper in his hand.

Eric looked at the floor for a second, and then at Reggie. "Reg...I'm sorry about what I did. You have no idea."

"I'm the one who should be sorry." replied Bushroot. "I treated you like people used to treat me...not giving you any chance to explain yourself. I was so unfair, and I apologize. I really want to be friends again."

Eric nodded. "As far as I'm concerned, we never stopped. Let's chalk it up to a misunderstanding." They shook hands warmly.

"I called your house, and your machine said you had gone to a realtors'. I was afraid that you were planning to move away."

"No." replied Eric. "You see, my lawyer told me in court they were planning to cut that tree down as a hazard. As long as it was on city property, they could have. That's why I got this." He handed Bushroot the paper.

Reginald looked at the sheet. It was a deed-a deed to the piece of land the tree was on and three square feet around it.

"I couldn't let them do that to you." explained Eric. "Especially since I was responsible. So I bought the tree. And now I'm giving it to you. The deed is yours."

Reginald was flabbergasted. "B-but I thought the tree was on my land."

"I guess not." said Eric. "It was just over your property, on city land. But it's all yours now."

Bushroot looked at him, in disbelief that anyone so decent could exist in a world that had been so cruel to him. The next instant, he threw his arms around Eric, saying "Thank you. Thank you so much."

He then let go, and just looked at him. "Thanks. For being such a great guy."

Eric smiled. "Thank you. For showing me what friendship is."

A long moment passed. Then Reggie spoke. "But you don't have a job. What will you..."

"I took care of that, too. Chlorophyll World was looking for help. It may help me better understand those plants of yours. And I just put a down payment on a used, beautiful old Mustang."

Reggie grinned. "You're talking my language."

Eric slapped him on the back. "Come on. I believe there's a hockey game tonight."

"Come on, Spike!" called Bushroot, and the three friends left the greenhouse.

Reginald Bushroot, Spike, St. Canard and Duckburg are the property of Disney. Eric Smith is the property of the author. This story was written for pleasure, not profit. (C)2000 Eric Smith.

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