Gemotions

The HOA representative, a woman with a clipboard and a stern expression, stood before him. The weeping willow on the boundary was a hazard, its limbs too close to the power lines.

He looked up at the tree, its graceful branches swaying in the breeze. He recalled climbing those branches as a child, his laughter echoing through the air. The sensation of the bark beneath his hands was so sharp, he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

He remembered picnics beneath its shade, the dappled sunlight. He found himself remembering his childhood home, with its big, inviting backyard. He felt suddenly, fiercely, protective of the space.

He agreed to the trimming, but the thought of it being removed sent a shock through his body. He would do what he could to save the tree.