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Trees Cry Too
"Beeee-boohhhhh!" "Beeee-booohhhh!" "Oh dear," thought Beebo. "What have I done now?" He ran into the kitchen where Mummy was. Instead of an errand or an angry Mummy, Beebo saw the smiling Uncle Dole R. looking at him. "Uncle Dole!" yelled Beebo running to his mother's brother. "Well, well, Beebo. How you've grown!" Everyone was always so happy to see Uncle Dole R. He always brought presents for everyone. A new book for Mummy. An old record for Daddy. Toys for Beebo and Beezy. And a new pacifier for Milly! Uncle Dole was such fun. Besides bringing presents he always took time to play and explore with Beebo and Beezy -- stuff that little kids enjoyed.
Beebo was so excited that he woke up early the next morning. He looked forward to having adventures with Uncle Dole. To his surprise, Uncle Dole was nowhere to be found. "Mummy," said Beebo finding Mummy Biddy in the living room reading a book. "Where's Uncle Dole? He hasn't left, has he?" "No, no, dear! Uncle Dole has gone to take care of some business." Beebo was puzzled. What business could Uncle Dole have in DeliLand? Maybe he went out to buy more presents for everyone? Or maybe he was planning a big and grand picnic for us?! Filled with thoughts of big chocolate cakes, huge sausages and superhumongous ice-cream cones, Beebo, joined by Peeper, went to the field to play. Beebo started telling Peeper all about Uncle Dole and what a great guy he was. "I want to be an on-ter-piano just like Uncle Dole." "What's an on-ter-piano?" asked Peeper. "He's a busy man who goes to different places and has lots of money." Just then they heard a loud cry. Followed by heavy sobs. "Who's crying?" asked Peeper. The two boys walked towards the sobbing sounds till they saw Uncle Dole. He looked very happy. "Who's crying, Uncle Dole?" asked Beebo. "What?! Crying? I don't hear any crying. Look at that, Beebo! Isn't it the most beautiful sight?!" Beebo and Peeper looked at what Uncle Dole was pointing at. It was Laughing Forest ... except it wasn't. Half of it was gone! Men in big machines were taking away the trees and leaving just the stumps behind. Beebo and Peeper were confused. They were told no one was to step into Laughing Forest. And if it was indeed magical why didn't it defend itself? Something wasn't right. "But Unc ..." "Now Beebo, go on and play. We'll have one of our little adventures soon, all right?"
Beebo and Peeper were puzzled. They walked to the other edge of the forest to look at the trees ... or rather, the non-trees! At last they heard it again! The sobbing sound was directly above them. Looking up they saw a huge tree. It was shaking and drops of water were falling from it. "Hold on!" said Beebo. "This is not rain! It's tears! The tree is crying!"
"Why yes, of course I am, silly!" boomed a throaty voice. Peeper stood in disbelief, gaping at the tree. Beebo asked, "Why are you crying?" "Are you blind or sumtin? Can't you see all my friends and family have been amputated? Oh! Bwah! Wah! Wah!" "Oh ... please don't cry, Mr Tree!" said Peeper at last, picking up the courage to speak. "That's Miss Tree to you, Shorty!" "I'm sorry, Miss Tree. We're only trying to help." "Oh, I'm sorry too. I'm not myself today. Not since those men started killing my friends and family." "But ... but," said Beebo, "you're the enchanted Laughing Forest. Why don't you cast a spell and make the machines go away?" "Oh! Magic, eh? Well honey, the magic only works on those who believe in it, like you kids. We can't work our magic on city folk who don't believe and certainly not on machines!" "But how about Lifewithyou? She could speak to Uncle Dole. He'd stop. I'm sure he'd stop if he knew how much pain he's causing." "Lifewithyou is not with us. She has gone beyond to visit and help her sister who lives in Sobbing Forest where they face the same problem. Soon, we too will no longer be called Laughing Forest, but Crying Forest!" "I'll go talk to my uncle," offered Beebo. "I'm sure he'll listen to me." "Tell him this," said Miss Tree. "If he doesn't stop now, there will be a tragedy! A tragedy, I tell you! When you take something from nature you have to replace it to keep the balance!"
Beebo tried talking to Uncle Dole. No easy task trying to talk to adults when they have other things on their mind. Everytime he started, "Uncle ..." his uncle would say, "Not now, Beebo. I want to tell your parents all about my latest project." Or, "I'll talk to you later, Beebo. I have to take care of business now." Or, "Beebo, I'm tired. I'll play with you tomorrow, all right?" Yes, there was always tomorrow to listen to those same lines again.
One week later there was a heavy storm. It rained and rained. All day it rained. It rained so heavily that school was closed. Daddy didn't go to the shop and Mummy didn't drive her bus and even Uncle Dole took the day off. At last, thought Beebo, he could talk to his uncle. No such luck. Uncle Dole was busy drawing up the plans for his next project.
The next day, everyone in kindy and in DeliLand was talking about the accident. The rain water was so heavy that it washed away some of the houses of the city folk living on the slope below Laughing Forest. Thirty people were now in the hospital. "That's what Miss Tree was trying to warn us!" said Beebo to Peeper. They rushed to Beebo's house to tell Uncle Dole. But it was too late. Uncle Dole was talking to the city police. They were holding Uncle Dole and his company responsible for the accident. "I tried to tell you, Uncle, that something bad would happen if you took away the trees." "When did you become so clever, Beebo?" asked Uncle Dole. "Next time, I'll make time to listen to you. But don't worry. I've learnt my lesson. Even adults make mistakes, huh?" Beebo smiled. "Please forgive me, Beebo." "It's all right, Uncle Dole. We can get all the townsfolk to replant the trees." Beebo didn't want to be an "on-ter-piano" (entrepreneur) anymore. But he learnt that adults too make mistakes. And nature was no laughing matter.
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| Copyright ©2000-2008 Brigitte Rozario All rights reserved |
