DAY 253

DAY 253
12.13.07
TREE 177

Funny story… I left my session and drove downtown towards Will’s.  I started to drive around Butchertown looking for a tree.  I was having trouble and looped all around back and forth.  I eventually found a tree I climbed a while ago with Will.  The one of the night we walked to MaryLiz’s, had a BBQ and hen went to a Halloween party.  Well, I remembered seeing a tree across the street from that tree that looked good.  So I parked and stepped out of my truck.  A guy with grey hair in a pony tail carrying a plastic garbage bag was walking around.  He suddenly changed directions and headed my way.  He asked if I knew the area well.  I said I didn’t and he moved on.  At a closer glance he didn’t look so sketchy, just frustrated and lost.  Once he was out of sight I set to the tree.  One side of it had been severely cut back due to the power lines nearby.  As I began my ascent I noticed some hustle and bustle below me. 

Workers in hard hats with trucks and loud noise. 

I stayed as quiet as I could, you know I hate getting hassled. 

The climb was pretty good.  There were lots of dead limbs so I worked around them and made some nice transfers between limbs. 

At the top I tied my ribbon and began to take pictures.  I had a pretty nice view of the downtown skyline, the church where the Ginkgo I climbed is, and the tree nearby I climbed before. 

During all this a couple of guys were walking around below me.  And one spotted me.  He got another guy and they walked up to the tree.  The second guy said something to me but I couldn’t hear.  I finished my shots and noticed that guy waiting for me.  I thought I better climb down and explain my project.  So slowly I made my way down and said hi. 

He asks, "who do you represent?" 

I say, "who do I represent?" puzzled, "…I represent myself.  I’m an artist."  Then I did a little shpiel about my project. 

He looked at me skeptical and said, "what’s the real story?"

I said, "really, I had a show of my photos and journal entries in southern Indiana."  I even got out my camera and showed him some of my shots and did my best to prove myself and my story. 

He then says, "you’re not planning to protest our company?" 

Me, "no." 

Then he goes into a long rant about how the company’s emissions are low, they are a good, honest company that makes chili for fast food restaurants.  He was trying to convince me that they did nothing bad. 

I just kept saying, "okay" and tried to reiterate that I didn’t care about his work, I just  climb trees for art. 

He then told me I could die if I fell. 

(He pointed to this)

I apologized for causing any trouble and bid him a good night.  I think he walked away still skeptical. 

12-17-08:  This is one of my favorite stories from the first year of climbing.  At first I thought this guy was going to be pissed about me being in the tree.  That is what most people have done.  But instead he was trying to be nice and convince me of the up-to-code-quality of his work place.  He saw a guy in a tree with a camera and immediately started to think I was there to gather proof of something to protest.  When he refused to take my story seriously it made me think he WAS hiding something.  I never looked into it any further, but now I live just a block from the place.  If their emissions are high, it’s personally affecting me so maybe I should.  The smell around here can be just awful.  But I don’t think it’s the chili factory’s fault. 

So last Friday, after working our last day of the week on siding the barn, we (Norm and I) rushed back to his place to shower and get ready to go to a business Christmas party.  It was a Humana party for one department, actuaries I think, and I was to be the bartender.  The party was at Dave and Melissa’s place in Sellersburg, IN.  I met Dave through Norman who met him through a clay class.  Dave installs high end Amish cabinets and Norm’s been working for him off and on all year.  I have worked a few days for him myself.  Well, since Melissa wanted the party to just be for her fellow Humana employees, Dave figured out a way to get a few people he knew in.  Norm is good at parties, he talks to people, gets games going, and I tagged along to bartend, which I have never done.  It was pretty easy since most people drank beer.  The only drinks I had to make were a few margaritas (premixed) and rum and cokes.  But there were only about 25 people there so when it was slow at the liquor table I joined the party to partake of the food and the pool tournament Norm organized.  Norm happened to be my partner in the tourney by luck of the draw and we made it all the way to the final game.  Then we lost to Dave and this other girl (Lisa perhaps) by the luckiest shot I’ve ever seen.  Anyway, I started to get a little antsy about climbing a tree.  I was afraid this party would go past midnight and I would break my streak.  So I go Norman to cover the drink table while I grabbed my coat and snuck outside. 

I went out front and started to walk around Dave’s neighborhood looking for a tree.  Not wanting to climb in someone’s yard I continued down the street to the major road.  Nothing.  I looped back behind Dave’s house where I had parked and right there, by my truck was a small but perfect tree for this cold night and quick climb. 

I jumped in and moved up to the top in no time. 

I settled into a nice seated position and started to shoot pictures.  The last few days the moon had just been incredible.  It was full, bright, and seemed larger than normal.  Along with the street lamps, the moon helped light up the whole landscape. 

I was drawn to it.

Dave and Melissa lit up their house pretty well for the party.  Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of the front but I got one of the back.

The rest of their neightborhood seemed quiet and still in the frigid cold night.

When I was done I slinked down the branches, threw my coat in my truck and snuck back into the party through the back door.  Norm was getting a little drunk as were many others at the party.  I took back the bartender’s responsibilities and no one was the wiser.