April 19th, 2014. The random day I decided to create a brick ring around our single front-yard tree and fill it with red rubber mulch. The ring worked out nicely and has survived erosion moderately well.
For some reason, our odd, adorable neighbors decided this specific day was also the best time to quickly and hurriedly plant a new tree in their front yard. When I say quickly, I mean within an hour, 5+ family members, from kids to grandpa, had dug a hole, dropped a sapling in, covered it, tied it up with stakes, and surrounded it with a mulch mound.
We watched the whole scene with amazement and bewilderment, but at the very worst, we’d… inspired more tree planting?
That family has since sold the house, which was purchased by an investor to immediately rent. It took us some time to even realize the house was being rented. The yard has slowly fallen into disrepair, with all of the grass dying and being replaced, the flower beds being overrun with weeds, and the exterior fence decaying. Often a family member’s vehicle is parked halfway onto the grass.
Yesterday, we found the tree on the side of the road, in their front yard. It had been uprooted after being jostled by the hurricane and thrown to the curb, too much trouble to take care of, a gaping hole in the yard left unfilled.
Poor little neighbor tree. You were hurriedly planted for reasons unknown and were cast aside in an equally baffling manner. We barely knew you. RIP.
