Oh Christmas Tree

Little Robert from Mrs. Smith's first grade class came into my office looking very concerned. "Nurse, I'm sick." He told me, in a very matter of fact voice. "I have to get better fer Christmas. I'm not done shopping yet. I only bought a tree."

"Well, what is wrong?" I asked calling him towards my desk. He didn't appear too sick at first glance.

"My head is drying up !", he said looking more worried as he put both hands on his head very lightly.

I took his temperature as he kept trying to tell me that his head was drying up. "Your temperature is normal Robert." Looking at his hairdo I couldn't help but wonder if he just put too much hair gel on this morning. It was all spiked up and looked pretty stiff.

I tried to take his mind off of his dried up head. "Tell me what your tree is like?" I asked.

That seemed to perk him up, "Oh, I put a star on the tree, a big ball, a candy cane." he said very excitedly. "And a Christmas ball and red, blue, orange, yellow and violet red lights. It's a real tree." he continued.

Another boy overheard our conversation and came running over to proudly annouce, "I chopped down our Christmas tree with a big hammer and my Dad helped me."

"Oh my, that sounds like fun." I said. "Where did you go to chop down the tree?" I asked regretting that question as soon as it came out of my mouth.

"We snuck into someone’s yard that lives down the street." he whispered. "They have lots of trees and my Dad said they could spare one. He told me to be very quiet."

Sometimes kids give you more information then you really want to know. I quickly ushered both boys back to class. As I sat at my desk I daydreamed of the days when I was his age and my Dad went out to the woods to chop down our Christmas Tree. It was always the perfect tree. I thought a little harder and then smiled. No, I don't remember seeing any freshly cut stumps in any of our neighbors yards.