Stuck in the Tree

Stuck in the Tree

Stacey Powers

I was not very old, maybe 8 years old, and we lived at 990 Harriet Ave, on an acre of land that was narrow and very deep in shape. Our house was near the front of our acre, but the neighbors (Blackmun's) house was in the middle (front to back) of their property, so their house was a long way back from the street.

One Saturday morning, I had decided to climb a BIG BIG walnut tree, whose trunk was very tall, with NO side branches until at least 12 or 15 feet up in the air. The only way to get up into this tree was to shimmy up a long metal pole, which I did very well, since I was so good at climbing the monkey bars at school. Well, once I was in the tree, the pole slid down and down, leaving me stranded up in the tree for hours.

I yelled, and screamed and cried and hollared for help, but alas, nobody came. Finally, eventually, Lynn showed up - she was about 5 at the time and so very literal - I told her to go get Mommy to help me get down out of the tree. Like a good sister, she went back up to the house, and asked Dad "Where is Mommy?" and he said Mommy went to the grocery store. Lynn said "Oh, okay." and that was the end of that!!!!!!

I continue to cry and wail and hollar and scream and yell for help. I remember specifically that EVERY time I heard someone moving around in the neighbors house, I would yell, hollar for help and cry REAL LOUD, hoping and praying that somebody, anybody in the neighbors house would hear me and come to my rescue. No such luck.

Finally, after spending about four hours in that tree, Mom came home from the grocery store and her other errands. She asked "Where is Stacey?" Dad didn't know where I was, and she kept looking for me. Finally, she asked Lynn if she had seen me, if she knew where I was, and Lynn said "Oh, yeah, she is stuck in the tree and she told me to come get you, Mommy, but you weren't here, so I just waited for you"

At last, someone was coming to my rescue! The whole family came to the back of the property and found me and helped me get down out of that tree! I was so mad at Lynn for not telling somebody to get me out of the tree. Lynn said, "Well, you told me to go get Mommy, and that is what I did!" Here is Mommy!

I had to admit that is exactly what I said, and Lynn did exactly what I said, but that didn't get me out of that tree any sooner!

And yes, I contemplated jumping out, but decided I didn't really want to break my leg jumping out of the tree. To this day, I still have not had any broken bones!