"Tree Topper"

"Oh, my goodness!" He bellowed, "What's wrong now?" Frustrated, Renee answered. Always some deal with Harvey, for sure, she thought. "Help me for heaven's sake!" The urgency of the response caused her to jump to her feet. As fast as she could she made her way down the hall to see Harvey, a look of terror spread across the face of her best loved Uncle. A closer look only made her laugh aloud!

Harvey hung from the top bunk one leg wrapped amongst the bed spread as the others searched for any means to stop the descent! "Stop, don't move!" Renee yelled between belly laughs. "Grab my arm and brace yourself and don't make me fall for heaven's sake, OK!" She stated as she unraveled Harvey's leg from the bed spread. Next came a loud "Thud" as Harvey fell to the floor. 'Thanks Renee!" "You're a great help!" "You're welcome Unc" she chuckled.

Harvey was just able to stand when he reached out and popped her one on her arm, just to let her know he's the uncle so show respect! "Do that once more Unc, and well, no help from me, when you make your next move ". They both laughed as they made their way to the table for breakfast. "What's your plan for today?" She looked for an answer from Harvey "Well Mable's tree, ya know the one out front, needs to be topped" The thought made Renee's blood run cold after all her uncle can't even get out of bed and stay safe. "Sounds dangerous" she told Harvey. "Has to be done, so no better man for the job" he boasted. "Ok, well be careful would you!" she stated, she made an effort not to reveal the fear she felt move up her back. He gave her head a good ruffle on the way out the door. "Stop that!" Harvey heard her loud and clear before the door shut.

Happy to have gotten the last word she grabbed her keys and headed out the door. Renee worked at the Darby Gazette, a small newspaper that covered every event and newsworthy story for the small town of Darby Montana. She loved her town and the people but hoped to someday leave Darby for the better. She had grand dreams and she planned to see them come true. After all, one can only make the rescue of Marabella's cat from a raccoon trap, or the fact that ole man George caught the largest trout to date, a good read! She longed for more, Heck, she thought, there's always the school events to report on, lucky me!

The early part of her day proved to be uneventful, so she made her way to check on Uncle Harvey for lunch, as she rounded the corner, she observed her uncle up a tree that looked none to sturdy as he swayed back and forth. "Oh my, that's not good!" She thought, not for her uncle who could always make a way to cause the body harm, "please be careful", she heard herself say aloud. She grabbed the two lunch boxes she had bought from Tom's Takeout and made her way below the tree. "Come down Unc", she yelled, "got us some lunch". Happy that he managed to make the way down unscathed, she handed off one lunch box and they sat down on the lawn to eat.

Uncle Harvey thanked her for lunch, then he began to tell her the most unusual story. "Ya know Renee, one can see almost the whole town from up that there tree" he went on "One can see the rooms of a house as well" he paused just long enough for her to say, "Ya, so, tell me more".

Now he had her...

"There's much to tell" he blurted out. "What? Unc what?" Maybe he had a good story, she thought. He leaned towards her "Well, when up that old tree your uncle could see the bedroom of that young Mrs. Summers", before he could say more Renee reached out and removed the mayo from her uncle's face. He coughed to clear the throat and went on "Now Renee, let me ask you, don't Mr. Summers have a bald head?" He asked her "yes he does, why?", "Thought so!" The response startled her "Oh, come on Unc, what the heck, tell me would ya".

"Hang on now, ya see, your ole Unc was not about to look for trouble up that ole tree, however Mrs. Summers drew my eye when she came out her bath, dropped her towel and then began to get busy with a man that was not bald, for real, Not Bald!" Astounded Renee responded, "Are you sure he was not bald?" "Yep! and they got real busy, for the whole morn!"

"The whole morn?" Renee repeated "Yep, the whole morn!" he added "Kept my eyes turned out of respect, but yep. the whole morn". "Well dang, that would make a great story for the Gazette!" she responded, "You better not young lady, you hear me?" Her mouth turned up from ear to ear as she added "Oh never, not me Unc, not me!"

Now he was alarmed...

Lunch came to an end as Uncle Harvey attached the monkey belt for safety and began to head back up the tree, "see you at supper Renee and please keep what was talked about between us." "Don't worry Unc, your secrets safe for sure!" She yelled as she gave a wave and drove off. She had to force herself to stay on the route home and not stop to see how young Mrs. Summers was these days.

Harvey sat back, the belt snug and safe as he watched Mrs. Summers. She looked so pretty, her long brown locks sway back and forth as she moved about. Mr. Summers came out the bath, Harvey watched but only for a moment; seems Mr. Summers towel was not to stay put for long.

After the top of Mable's old tree lay on the ground, he made the way down the rest of the tree, when suddenly a loud crack alerted to the fact the tree was unstable, as fast as he could he moved down the tree when all of a sudden he belted out a loud "Ouch!" as he landed on the ground. Dang that hurts! He yelled, at that Mable came at a run to rescue Harvey, she was very concerned as she wrapped Harvey's leg and checked for any other wounds.

"Now, you ought to stay off that leg for a day or two, you hear me, Harvey?" "Sure, do but got work here that needs to be done". "True, true, that you do Harvey". Mable agreed and added "and the work won't go nowhere for a couple days so you just relax and heal". Harvey gave a nod of agreement. "Let me get you some supper now that you're about late for yours". Mable was off before he could answer. Upon return she held a plate full of roast and potatoes and he was not about to protest.

They sat under what was left of Mable's tree when Harvey went on to tell Mable about what he saw from the tree and how Mrs. Summers guest was not bald. "Not bald!" she noted, he sat as she gave that some thought then he swore her to secrecy. He let her know that the meal was great when he let go a loud belch! Later as she helped Harvey to the car, he thanked her more proper for the food. As he drove away, she clucked her tongue, "not bald" she stated as she shook her head and repeated "not bald" and then she made her way to her phone...

"Yep, Ellen, not bald!" Mable spoke real low "now you can't tell anyone ok". "Oh, for sure, for sure," Ellen agreed. As she hung up the phone Mable consoled herself, she had to tell someone, after all Ellen could keep a secret. The problem was that Ellen could only keep a secret for so long.

Soon she was headed to her phone; "Yep! that's correct, not bald Joan, the man was not bald!" Ellen agreed then she swore Joan to secrecy before she hung up the phone". Oh heck, Joan can keep a secret for sure, Ellen told herself as she dressed for bed.

By then Harvey had pulled up to the house and hobbled to the door, "Unc!" "What happened?" Alarmed, Renee asked as she checked Harvey for damage, "fell out the dang tree, seems to be unstable" he told her. Sure that there was no further damage than a pulled muscle Renee responded "Yep. the trees to blame Unc!" as she let out a long breath.

Renee then went on to say, "Uncle Harvey, please tell me you kept what you saw today to yourself". "Gave my best to do just that, don't you worry Renee don't you worry". Then Uncle Harvey added a tone of encouragement "No need to be alarmed Renee, no need at all".

Renee was alarmed...

She woke to the buzz, the whole town was a buzz, seems everywhere Renee went throughout the day she overheard "Not bald!" from someone. What had Uncle Harvey done! She knew all too well! She repeated the words "No need to be alarmed Renee, no need at all" to herself, she was aghast that's what she was!

She wondered what her once most loved Uncle knew about the town buzz. After all he was held up, bedded for the day.

The closer she got to home the madder she became! She pulled up front of her house with a fury and marched through the front door. The door slammed so hard Harvey woke from sleep. "What the, who's here?" he stammered "you don't want to know Unc!" Renee yelled back "ok" Harvey responded meekly, he never saw Renee so mad, so he made every effort not to engage.

Renee let go her fury! "Uncle what have you done?" "You told me you never told anyone about Mrs. Summers!" "Now, now Renee, calm down" Harvey begged "let me say one person, that's all just Mable and she can keep a secret!" He responded

"Really Unc? Not so!" She was so smug, he thought. "What has got you so upset young lady?" "Well seems that one person, told one person, who told one person, and so on!" After a deep breath she went on to say, "for heaven's sake Unc, the whole town knows!"

Harvey was frozen where he sat, only able to move when he was startled by the doorbell "Great! Now who could that be?" Renee asked, her tone sharp. "You're lucky your unable to walk or you would be to greet whoever's at that door!" she commented as she headed to the door.

To her horror there stood Mr. and Mrs. Summers, "Hello" Renee said rather meekly, "follow me, Uncle Harvey, he's back here", "Thank you" Mr. Summers stated. There sat Harvey unable to escape and sure he was to face the wrath! "Hello", he barely got the word out. "Now Harvey we are here to clear up a few matters about what you saw from that old tree of Mable's!" Mr. Summers coughed, patted Mrs. Summers arm and went on to say "As you know we are newlywed and love each other very much. Now you must know how upset we are over the rumors you helped spread! Let me make clear that my love would not cheat on me, you see Harvey that was me you saw from that tree, yep, me!" "Took the day off for some role play, we do that now and then ya see".

Harvey turned beat red before Mr. Summers let out a belly laugh and slapped Harvey's shoulder! Best you clear all the rumors up as soon as you can!" Mr. Summers stated as they headed out the door. "Yes, yes, for sure, for sure!" Harvey let them know, he shouted "never been so sorry, learned a good lesson for sure!" as they drove away.

Renee was already at her computer when Harvey made a way to her. "Well Unc!" she stated as she held her urge to laugh "Better get started on that Darby Gazette story, wouldn't you agree? " "Oh, for sure, for sure..." was Harvey's response!