The trees in the park (mostly some form of evergreen tree) had the best limbs that almost begged you to climb higher and higher up to the peak. Sap be damned!
So - you came home smelling of pine and sticking to everything you touched. It didn't matter when you were spending time high up in a tree looking out at all of the wonders below.
Kids were on the swings or sliding down the ever-hot, always sticky aluminum slides, hey! maybe they were sticky from the sap kids had on their hands from the trees? Who knew. All I know is that I had no time or interest in the slides. That was for the unimaginative.
When I was in a tree I was a hawk looking for my next meal. I was a pirate on the crows nest of a ship, or I was just Carole, relaxing and enjoying the wind as it blew through the branches and made them gently rock back and forth.
The trees across from St. Fredrick's Catholic Church on Plankinton Avenue - now those were another story. They held the jewels of the neighborhood. A treasure that gleamed in the sunlight when you cracked open the outer shell. Horse Chestnuts! Oh how I loved collecting them - I would pick the ones up from the ground for hours on end to find fresh, glowing, deep brown chestnuts.
They actually shined when you cracked open the outer green shell. It was a thing of beauty. On this day, Michael, Tommy and I were getting quite the haul. We had almost a full bucket of horse chestnuts - but we wanted more. Tommy gave me a boost into the tree and I scurried along the branches tossing fresh fruit down to my two friends.
My dad always warned me not to climb trees. "If you fall you could break your leg or worse - your back" he would say, "Then what would you do? You'd have to be in a wheel chair. No more bikes or swimming".
He had no idea who he was talking too. When it came to trees I was just as agile as a squirrel, climbing with ease from branch to branch. Plucking and dropping the treasure.
I saw a big piece on a branch a little out of my reach. It mocked me as I tried to extend my arm longer, longer, ooof - no good, I just couldn't reach it. I looked and there was a small branch right underneath that I should be able to step on and then I could maybe just about r---e----a----c----h......CRACK!
The branch broke and my grip on the one above faltered. I had been too far off balance to stop my fall - down - down - down - I swear it felt like I was falling for an eternity. Then the ground rushed up to smack the look of disbelief off my face.
"WHOMP" "CLUNK" "GASP"
I hit the ground, hard. I didn't pass out - but I realized all too quickly that I couldn't breath in. Tried as I may, the air would not fill my lungs.
Oh my God! I broke my back! My dad is going to be so mad!
Tommy's face appeared above mine - he and Michael were laughing - and saying how funny I looked as I fell. "You looked like Wiley Coyote!" Michael said. "Yeah - you were grasping right and left, but not catching anything" Tommy continued.
They stopped as soon as they saw the panicked look on my face. I wasn't laughing - my watery eyes were bulged out as I gasped for air and tried to get my lungs to expand.
The two of them helped me to my feet and we started walking towards the Church, surely the priests would be able to help. At some point while we were crossing the street the air finally returned to my lungs. I was so relieved and instead of going inside, where I was sure to be found out and my father called to come get me, turned and continued walking towards home. Tommy ran back for the bucket of nuts and Michael started to run ahead to get help.
"No, Michael" I said as loud as I could (which wasn't very loud, trust me) "I'll get in trouble". I'll be ok - I just need to go lay down.
We were walking home in silence when we heard sirens. Oh no! Someone called the ambulance! My heart began to race as I looked around.
The fire department was just west of St. Frederick's Church - you'll never know how relieved I was as the red flashing lights passed us and continued down the street.
I spent the next week lounging around the house, taking it easy, and never speaking a word of my fall from the tree. It didn't take me long, though, to return to the art of being a tree rat.
I often wonder how I actually made it to adulthood - I had a strong (and tired) guardian angel.
Oh - the ambulance? No big deal, the people across the street from us had their upper floor start on fire by the faulty wiring of their old television. No one was hurt, but the TV did not survive.
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