The Oak and the Fruit Tree: A Short Story
Day One
“It hurts, Monty,” said the young fruit tree to his friend the Oak.
“What hurts?”
“My head hurts.”
“Go get it checked out.” Monty the oak suggested.
“Nah, I’m sure it will go away,” assured the fruit tree.
“So why did you bother telling me if you weren’t going to listen to my advice?”
“I don’t know. I was just saying what I was feeling out loud. I didn’t mean anything by it.” Now the young fruit tree was sorry he had said anything at all, but his head really did hurt. Maybe not bad enough to be concerned but enough to say something. “Hey Monty,” the fruit tree continued, “When should I say something about what I’m feeling if the feeling isn’t right?”
“If the feeling isn’t right, then something is wrong,” Monty explained. “If something is wrong then it needs to be made right.”
“That’s really good, Monty. Did you read that somewhere?”
“Nah, it’s just common sense.”
The fruit tree was confused, “if it’s common, how come I don’t have it.”
“Well, are you gonna get that headache checked out?” Monty asked.
“Probably not.”
“There you go. You’re Uncommon.”
Day Two
The next day, the young fruit tree came to visit Monty the oak along the river. “Hey Monty,” greeted the fruit tree.
“Mother Nature! Look at that knot on your face!” Monty exclaimed in shock.
“Yeah. I woke up this morning with that headache again, only this time it was worse. Then a squirrel climbed on my branch and screamed at the sight of the knot before running off. Does it look that bad?”
“You scared the acorns out of me. You really should get that looked at,” Monty suggested again.
“I don’t need to go bothering anyone about a little knot and a headache. I just need to get some sap to ease the swelling and then wait for it to go away,” the fruit tree shrugged.
“At what point are you going to decide to get checked out?
“If it’s still here by the end of the week, I will get it checked out.”
“If that thing keeps growing you won’t have a face by the end of the week,” Monty assessed.
Day Three
Monty the Oak was harvesting his acorns when he thought about his friend the fruit tree. He hadn’t come by for a visit and it was already past noon. Monty decided to check on the fruit tree’s welfare.
When he arrived, the fruit tree’s leaves were beginning to wither and his trunk was slouching. “How are you feeling, my friend?” Asked Monty.
“Not too good.” The fruit tree mumbled as he turned slowly to face Monty.
“Great Forest! It’s taken over your face!” The knot had grown so large it began to sag over the fruit tree’s face and its fruits were falling all over the floor due to his diminishing health. “Surely you will go get checked out now. You’ve waited and waited but now it is obvious you are unwell.”
“You’re right, Monty. You were right yesterday and the day before. Now I am embarrassed and my pride prevents me from seeking help. How can I face a physician after ignoring the warnings of a friend? He will ask me why I have waited this long and I couldn’t bear the shame.”
“Leave your pride and my rightness alone, but look at your leaves, they wither. Look at your fruit, they rot. If you will not seek help, then let me bring help to you. I cannot bear to see you in this condition,” Monty pleaded.
“Well…” the fruit tree sighed, “if you insist.”
“I will leave at once and return as soon as possible.”
Day Four
Monty the Oak brought Dr. Pine to examine the ailing fruit tree. His condition had only grown direr since the previous day. “You should have come to see me sooner,” exhorted Dr. Pine. “Why did you wait so long to be seen?”
“I did not think my little headache was anything to bother you about. As it grew into a knot, I figured it would go away on its own, but it just kept growing and the pain grew worse. Then I felt embarrassed to show my face around the forest for fear of ridicule,” confessed the fruit tree.
“Ridicule is a wound you can heal by swallowing the hard pill of pride. The disease is not so easily cured but it is possible if you will follow my prescription,” Dr. Pine informed wisely. “Rub this salve on your knot and drink this tonic twice a day until the knot is completely gone. Then you shall recover fully.”
“Thank you, Dr. Pine,” Monty was grateful to hear a solution for his friend, and the fruit tree simply nodded in approval.
Day Five
While Monty was walking through the forest, a deer called his attention. “Monty, I just saw your friend, the fruit tree. He does not look well. You should go see him.”
Monty the Oak hurried to see his friend and found him in a most dreadful condition. His leaves turned brown and dry out of season. His branches were devoid of fruit. His trunk was hunched and his face was completely covered so he could not see. “Oh, my friend. What has happened to you?”
“I am not getting any better,” wheezed the decrepit fruit tree.
“Did you not rub the salve or drink the tonic as the Doctor prescribed?”
“I do not trust Dr. Pine’s methods. How do I know his salve will not produce a rash? How do I know his tonic will not poison me? You know the old proverb, ‘things get worse before they get better.’ My time will come. You will see, Monty.” It was difficult for the fruit tree to speak between labored breaths.
“What else can I do for you, my friend?” Asked Monty. “I have given my counsel. I have brought you help. I have offered to nurse you back to health but you reject it all. What else can I do? The medicine won’t work if I drink it for you! You must drink it yourself. You must nurse your own wounds if you won’t let me. Don’t you see I only pester you because I care? But if you will not care for yourself, I will not watch you destroy yourself.” Monty looked upon his friend through tears for the last time. “Goodbye, my friend.”
“Are you abandoning me in my hour of need?!” Protested the fruit tree.
“It is you who have abandoned yourself in your hour of need. I have given you the key, but you must turn the key and walk through the door to meet me on the other side.” Then Monty left and waited on the other side of the door.
Day Six
Monty the Oak was downcast the next day as he provided acorns for the squirrels and shade for the fawns. He thought of his young friend and wished that he could do more for him. Monty thought about forcing the tonic down and rubbing the salve himself but how long could he manage such a friendship. Would the fruit tree consider him a friend for loving him so harshly and forcefully?
Monty’s thoughts were interrupted by the loud and steady sound of a giant woodpecker echoing through the forest. He followed the animals as they hurried to see what was producing such a sound. When they arrived, the sound was not coming from a woodpecker but a group of lumberjacks cutting down a dried-up tree. The leaves had all fallen, there was no fruit, and the trunk was knotted and twisted. The tree was cut down to a stump and pulled out from the roots. Then they burned the wood to keep the disease from spreading to the nearby trees in the forest.
The forest animals and trees wept as they watched.
Day Seven
Monty woke up with a headache. At first, he thought it must have been from the emotion of the previous day. Then he remembered his friend. “I better go and get checked just in case.”
He went to see Dr. Pine and he was prescribed the same tonic and salve. Monty the Oak wasted no time in rubbing the salve and drinking the tonic. He wrestled with the same doubts about its effectiveness but followed the directions as prescribed, nonetheless.
Monty went on to live his time in the forest providing acorns and shade. He made many more friends, but he always remembered his friend the young fruit tree. He told his story with remorse, but he never wanted to experience what he had with the young fruit tree again. He lost a friend, but he did not blame himself for he had done all he could. Now what was left was to do what he could, moving forward. He resolved that the best way to save a life was to live a life worth living for others to see. By seeing his good life, maybe they’d want to save their own life.
