December 2, 2010

The Other Tree

When I was a kid, I really wanted a tree in my room. Really, really wanted one. I didn't care if it was big or small, I just wanted one of my very own. I think I asked every year until I was ten and my parents always told me that it was a fire hazard, which it was, because I would have left the lights on all the time and never watered it and probably would have tried to push it around the room with me as I played.
Now that I'm a parent, I see their logic. But when Briton asked if he could have a tree in his room, I knew exactly how he felt. And since these days lights are much safer and fake trees are available practically everywhere (I saw one for sale in the produce section of the grocery store, which seemed a little odd, but whatever) we picked up a teeny, teenier even than our tree, fake tree to set up in their room. They chose colored lights and colorful bulbs and a bright red star, did all the decorating themselves, throwing in a few silly bands to liven things up, and chose a spot for it.
Next to the Sphinx, inside the train track and between the water hole and the volcano. Of course. Because, duh mom, the sphinx needs a tree too.