3/10/15
Luke stood beside his father’s bed and saw there were only a few minutes left. He took his father’s hand and squeezed it.
“Is that you, son?” the old man whispered without opening his eyes.
“Yes, Dad,” Luke answered.
“Are we alone? I have something important to say. But you can’t tell anyone else. Not till you pass it to your son someday. Promise now.”
“I promise.”
“That old tree in the corner of the property –”
“The really old one you wouldn’t let me cut down?”
“It’s a special tree.”
“How?”
“Are you sure we’re alone?”
“Yes.”
“It’s a tree of life.”
“A what? You mean the –?”
“No, not the one from the Bible. But it does have power to extend life and heal diseases; if you find how to use it.”
“Well if that’s the case, why aren’t you using it now?”
“The knowledge of what to do is lost. I’ve tried years to figure it out.” (cough) “Now it’s up to you.”
“What do I look for? Can you …? Dad? Dad?”
Luke released his father’s hand and pulled the sheet over his face. He turned to leave the room but his wife Leah was in the doorway.
“What did he say?” Leah asked.
“Nothing,” answered Luke.
“It wasn’t nothing. I heard some of it.”
“Do you mind? I don’t feel like talking right now. “
“Well you’d better tell me soon.”
Luke’s family had lived in this home for generations. Most of the property was farmland, but a small area at the farthest corner had been left wooded due to the rockiness of the ground.
Luke and his wife were in their late thirties. Though they were married more than ten years they were childless. And despite occasional remarks about who was to blame, they seemed content to remain so.
Luke stayed busy for several days with the burial arrangements. But at last he was free to visit the tree and begin his quest. He made his way through the woods and pushed into the clearing only to find he wasn’t alone. Leah had built a small campfire and was boiling water in a pot.
“What are you doing?!” Luke called out.
“I’ve already tried making tea with the leaves, but it didn’t do anything,” answered Leah. “I’ve also made tea with a piece of bark, but that didn’t work either. It isn’t flowering yet so I haven’t been able to try those. I don’t know if this thing bears fruit, or maybe it has nuts. What kind of tree is it anyway?”
“Who said you could come do this to my tree?”
“Your tree?! You mean ours!”
“Well, maybe. But you shouldn’t have been trying without me. And you shouldn’t have listened to my father’s dying secret.”
“Pah! I already knew your family had some kind of secret. People have been talking about it for generations. I just didn’t know what it involved.”
“Other people know?” asked Luke with astonishment.
“Oh, yes,” said Leah. “It’s only just rumors now. But my grandmother used to say your family members lived unusually long. When she was just a girl she met one of your ancestors who was more than 120 years old.”
“Really? What happened to them?”
“The one she met finally died of old age. Then some time after that your, let’s see, your grandfather and great-grandfather were killed during a robbery.”
“Someone trying to get the secret probably,” said Luke.
“So maybe that’s why your father didn’t know what to do. His father hadn’t told him yet.”
“Wow. I’ve never heard any of this. So what else can we try?”
The couple spent the next several weeks seeking clues then testing samples from the tree whenever they found a new idea. They searched the library for anything related — old recipes, fairy tales, news stories on long-lived people — but nothing was working.
One day while exiting the newspaper archive Luke heard a street vendor hawking his wares. He recognized the man as one of Leah’s cousins, then was shocked by what was being said.
“Miracle tea leaves,” the man yelled. “They’ll make you live forever. Hurry. Only a limited supply.”
Luke interrupted the man and asked where he had found such leaves, but the fellow only mumbled that it was a trade secret. Luke rushed home and asked Leah if she had told anyone.
“No. Not directly,” she said. “I asked my auntie if she had any old recipes for the folk remedies people in these parts used to make. But I didn’t say what I was doing.”
After Luke explained what he had seen she too looked concerned. They rushed to check on the tree. As they entered the clearing Luke staggered at the sight.
More than a half-dozen people were hacking at his tree. It was already denuded of every leaf, and an old woman was gouging out large pieces of bark and dropping them into a bag. A man was up at the main forks sawing off branches and dropping them to two others below. On the farther side a young man had dug a large hole and was chopping at the roots with a grub axe.
Luke regained his senses and yelled, “STOP!” Everyone quit what they were doing and looked over.
“That’s my tree! Get off my property before I call the law.”
Someone in the back retorted, “You can’t keep something like this just to yourself. It ain’t right.”
“Right?!” Luke screamed back. “What isn’t right is all of you breaking into my property and stealing what’s mine! And from the looks of things, you’ve killed it!”
At these words the crowd looked at the remains of the tree. A few blushed. It was clear the tree was damaged far more than they intended. It now resembled a tall fence post.
The trespassers quickly gathered their tools and headed for the trail. A few paused long enough to grab some of the cut branches. As they left the clearing one called back.
“You shouldn’t have been selfish with it in the first place.”
Luke didn’t respond. He just stared at the carnage. Seeing his grief, Leah finally broke her silence.
“I’m sorry, Luke. I shouldn’t have said anything to my auntie. I’m sure it was her who talked. I recognized one of them.”
“Well, it’s all over now,” he said. “If you don’t mind, I’d like a little time alone.”
Once Leah had left Luke cleaned up the damage. He dragged away the cut branches and refilled the hole. But even after he was finished the tree still looked devastated. Tears began streaming down Luke’s face and he spoke to the tree.
“Forgive me, Dad. I didn’t know this would …”
He stepped forward and embraced the tree trunk, then leaned his head against it and sobbed. At length he bid the tree farewell.
It was several months before Luke returned to the tree. Up to this point he hadn’t yet cleared out his father’s old bedroom because his mourning was still close. But Leah finally pushed him to do it since she wanted that space for a new sewing room. While disposing of the old clothes Luke came across a locket that had belonged to his mother. He knew his father had treasured it and Luke wanted to put it someplace special to his father.
Arriving at the clearing Luke was surprised to see a long stalk of new growth had sprouted from the top of the trunk. He felt a rush of relief as he gazed at the pale green leaves. All wasn’t lost after all.
He hugged the tree and resolved to take more care this time. He wasn’t even going to tell Leah; at least not yet. Luke quickly dug a small hole at the base of the tree, dropped in the locket and covered it. He then rushed back to the farm and found a bucket to bring some water to the tree. Thereafter he was very careful not to arouse Leah’s suspicions. He didn’t go to the tree very often, and then only when he knew she was away shopping.
Almost a month after finding the new growth Luke went to check on the tree’s recovery. He was shocked to see the slender stalk drooped over. He held his breath as he ran to it, but found the tree wasn’t in distress. The stalk had bowed due to the weight of a new growth at the tip.
It appeared like a cross between an apple and a plum, but was barely the size of a chicken egg. It hung in front of him looking swollen nearly to bursting and slowly bobbed up and down in the gentle breeze. It seemed to be inviting him.
He reached out his hand but stopped short of touching it. Should he do this? The stem of the fruit suddenly released and it dropped into his open palm. The stalk then glided upright again.
Luke’s hand moved toward his mouth without thought, then suddenly he felt an explosion of sweetness. Thrilling energy rushed through his body and he had no doubt this was the lost secret.
He wasn’t sure what exactly had triggered the fruiting. Maybe it was the strong emotional attachment he had formed with the tree. Or maybe it was one of the other things that had recently been done. But he now knew what to look for. And he now had plenty of time to find how to prompt it again.
He hugged the tree once more then headed home. Perhaps he’d give the next fruit to Leah.
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