Tree Story – Vanessa Smyth

By Vanessa Smyth

Grandma how did you meet Grandpa? 

It’s a long story. 

Walking beneath the tree of wrong and right, the apple dropped right into my hands.  It was beautiful and red and shiny and smelled delicious. I brought it to my mouth to take a bite, but my lips only brushed the surface before it slipped out of my hands and rolled across the ground. 

I was already in love with that apple, so I followed and tried to retrieve it.   

Unfortunately, I was not quick enough, and it rolled to the feet of a much younger woman with flowing dark hair and eyes like liquid coal.  She picked the apple up and brought it to her mouth and ate the apple down to its core.  I stood in disbelief as pain hit my stomach violently and unexpectedly and the tears rolled down my cheeks.  I knew that the woman would go home and that night lay the apple core beside her in bed and in the morning she would wake with a man to share her life with. The sweet apple flesh would have started a baby inside her and she was on her journey of sharing her life with someone. 

I didn’t have the heart to walk under the tree of wrong and right.  It obviously wasn’t my time, so I went home and got on with the life I knew. 

After a while I felt that I wanted to see more of the world. I left the country of my birth and travelled over the water to foreign lands. I explored and adventured and matured through my experiences and before I realised I was once again walking under the tree of wrong and right. This time when the apple dropped I held on tight.  I didn’t rush to bite it but studied the skin.  It was red with green and black flecks peeking through.  There was no bruising or blemishes and it smelt divine. The time was ripe. I ate the apple to its core and marvelled at the intense flavour. As I consumed the apple, its flavour consumed me. I was elated. I went home and that night laid the core next to me on my bed.  I’m surprised I could sleep at all, I was so excited, but sleep I did and in the morning I found your Grandfather sleeping beside me. I brushed his hair from his face and he opened his eyes with a sleepy smile and then rolled towards me and wrapped me in his arms. I could feel his love and I felt safe and secure and I looked forward to our life together and the child we would raise. 

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