Day 6 - The Trees

Matt was in the yard, looking over the lawn to decide whether it needed mowing, when the immaculate cream Grand Marquis pulled up to the curb. The driver rolled down the passenger-side window and leaned over to catch Matt's attention with a hearty, "Hey, there, welcome to the neighborhood." Matt walked to the gate to get a better look at both the car and driver, appreciating the former and trying to get the measure of the latter. "Hello, and thanks," he responded.

The driver looked a fair bit older than Matt, probably even older that Matt's father. The ball cap with a military insignia unit hid whether Matt's uninvited guest still had all his hair. The small amount around the edges was decidedly gray. And it appeared that the years had been generous to him, as he at least had had plenty to eat over the years.

"I live around the corner on Blackthorne," said the stranger. "My name is Nate. Nate Miller."

"I'm Matt," Matt replied. He didn't see any point in providing more information than that. A first name was enough to be polite and just might encourage the guy to move on.

"I saw that someone new had moved in," said Nate. "The house had been empty for quite awhile, and it looked like there was a lot of work being done."

"Yeah," replied Matt. "We are very pleased." He wondered just what the guy's point was. He still hadn't made any effort to get out of his car.

"I noticed that the old tree on the corner is gone. Did you decide to take it down?" asked Nate.

"No, the city said it had to come down. It obstructed drivers' views of oncoming traffic."

"So the city paid to take it down?" asked Nate, his eyes raised in expectation.

"No. The guy we bought the house from had to pay for it." Matt wondered why Nate cared.

"But the city ordered it to be removed?"

"Yeah, because of the danger to traffic," Matt replied.

"Have you seen those four big trees along Traveler's Lane, about half a mile from here?" asked Nate, without waiting for a response. "I've called the city several times asking them to remove them. But they said there is no need. Those things would do a lot of damage to cars on that road if they fell over. But the city won't do anything about them."

Matt said nothing. He wasn't sure what Nate expected him to say.

"The city won't do anything about those trees." Nate repeated.

"Do you live near them?" Matt asked. It was the only reason Matt thought Nate would care.

"Nah, I live around the corner, on Blackthorne. I thought I told you that," said Nate.

"So you did," replied Matt. "I forgot. I just thought you must live near the trees if you care about them so much."

"I don’t have to live next to them to see the danger. There’s a fig tree between my house and my neighbor and its roots are spreading out onto my property causing all kinds of damage to my lawn. I’ve told my neighbor I want him to cut down that tree before it damages the foundation of my house.  But he refuses. I dug up one of the roots on my property and it’s as big around as my arm. But he won’t cut it down. And the city won’t do anything about that either.”

Matt couldn’t think of a response.