Gemotions

The homeowner’s association meeting felt particularly long. The subject? You guessed it – the blasted tree. Everyone chimed in, suggesting solutions, none of which involved leaving my tree untouched. I felt heat rising in my chest.

“I’m really considering it,” I said finally, my tone deliberately vague. I imagined the slow, deliberate fall of the tree.

That evening, I set up a wind chime that clanged incessantly, a discordant melody that echoed across both properties. When the man came outside to find the source of the noise, he saw me sitting on my porch, enjoying the noise.