Gemotions

The morning sun warmed Elias's face as he hummed, watering his prize-winning petunias. Mrs. Gable's knock, sharp and insistent, barely registered as an interruption. He pushed open the screen door, his smile already in place.

"Elias, dear," she began, gesturing towards the towering oak that straddled their property line. "It's casting an awful shadow, isn't it?"

Elias blinked, his brow furrowing for a moment before smoothing out. He spread his arms wide, encompassing the tree, the lawn, the entire sunny world. “A shadow is a small price to pay for such a majestic fellow, don’t you think? Think of the birds, the shade…"

He pictured himself later, sprawled beneath the oak with a book and a glass of iced tea. That thought made him grin wider, a feeling of buoyant lightness lifting him. "Tell you what, Mrs. Gable," he offered, his voice bright, "I'll think it over! We can talk about it, and figure out the best thing to do! Perhaps we can find a compromise!"