The Magic Pear Tree

It wasn't until just recently that I understood. I finally got why she would always tell me "no matter what, do NOT cut the Pear tree down". Her voice echoed in my head like a never ending ping pong tournament. As I stare out the window towards the back of the house, where the Pear tree had lived, I couldn't help but smile thinking that all this time, Mama had been right. By the time I've realized this, it was already too late.

A few days earlier Mama and I were sitting in the back porch drinking coffee, talking about the world and it's mysteries, staring at the Pear tree and the lake behind it, as we always do; And she started in a rant, as she does every few months about me having a family and keeping up the land. I rolled my eyes and continued drinking my coffee, as I normally do but this time she really pushed. "I do NOT need to get married and have a man take care of me. Things are different now Mama. This is a new age where women can earn their own and have the same opportunities as a man without having to depend on one." She really got under my skin this time and it was about time I spoke up. I'm only 34 years old for heavens sake; I have an amazing career in law at one of the top tier firms in the South, graduated from the top schools and I have my Mama who loves me and always took care of me. Even when that, woman, left us, Mama always said it was for the best and I'd understand one day, but here I am, 34 year's old with more beauty then one woman can handle but just angry on the inside. "I'm just saying, I just want you be happy and taken care of. You went through one hell of a life and you just deserve better. Hell when you're mother left.." I quickly stop Mama in her tracks, "That woman was not my mother. My mother would have stayed with us and helped out because we are family. Instead she ran away from her responsibilities for a piece with money. Now do you think that is a mother? No! You are my mother." Mama snaps her neck to look at me and turns right back to the lake and take's deep breath. "You need to let that go child. She did what she thought was best for you, so you can have a better life. She wasn't ready to be a mother and she would drag you down in her. Regardless of it all, you are my child and I do know what's best for you. All I ask is that you settle down, keep the house and land up to keep and what ever you do, NEVER cut down the Pear tree. It is magic and it keeps us together believe it or not. It's almost like we are one with the tree. That tree and this house has been passed down from the beginning of time. Before there was even a house there was a tree." Now I've known Mama to preach about doing or not doing something for that matter, plenty of times, But not once have I heard her be so sure and convincing about anything as she was today about this Pear tree. " I promise Mama, I wont ever cut the tree" I replied in a low calm voice.

The next day I went into work not ever paying attention to what Mama says or rambles about for that matter, but something caught me about what she went off about when it came to this tree. Surely Mama has seen her fair share off sicknesses and close calls but she always made it out feeling better than ever. Was the Pear tree really magic? She did always request for me to pick a pear out the tree when ever she was close and I always did as she said. The thought stuck with me throughout the day. As crazy as it sounds I need to know more. After work I stopped by Mama's favorite bakery to pick up some fresh pastries for our nightly coffee talk. I figured if I buttered her up a bit more she might get into more details about this "magical" tree and then I can put the thought aside and move on. When I got home Mama was already putting the a full pot of fresh coffee on the stove as she knew it was going to be a long night. "Hey Mama! I stopped by the bakery and got some pastries for us." She jumped and turn towards me and shot me an expression as if she knew the questions I wanted to ask. "So how was your day?" I asked, wondering if I can feel out the mood of the conversation before jumping into anything that might upset her or something I might regret saying later. "It was fine. You know same ol'. Went into town to grab some groceries for dinner for a few nights, got stopped by this lovely man who said he thought I was 45 years old." She giggled as she continued about her day. "I told him he was the sweetest ol' talker in town and if I was 45 he wouldn't know what to do with it." " I know that's right Mama" I followed as we both started in laughter. As the night progressed and dinner was served I noticed Mama really went in with the feast she made as if we were prepping to have Thanksgiving dinner and that's when I knew something was up. Mama would have only pulled out the freshest yams, collard greens, ham and corn bread if we were expecting company, and last time I checked it was only the two of us. "Enjoy dinner baby, I made it all special for you." She said as she looked over with such love and care in her eye. What was she up to? I mean yes I tried to get pastries to really butter her up and end the night on a good enough note so she can open up to me but this woman, this amazing woman just out beat any pastries I could buy. After dinner I cleaned up the plates and warmed up the pastries while Mama grabbed poured the cups of coffee for us and walked outside to our normal spots in the back of the house, facing the Pear tree. I followed with the tray of warm pastries and sat them down on the small coffee table in front of us. As she handed me my coffee and took my first sip, I also took in deep breath because it was go time. "Mama, what is so special about that damn pear tree?" Mama stopped mid sip as if a ghost had passed her. She put the cup on the table and placed her hands on her lap as she stared me in the eye. For a moment I could see her question if telling me the truth would be what she did. "When I was a child growing up in this house the Pear tree wasn't quite as big, yes it was as big as any tree a child can play and get into trouble on but not what you see here today, we were always told that the tree had magical powers when it came down to our family. That this one tree was blessed and tied to our family blood line so to speak. Now as a child, of course I questioned this bombo, jumbo that my Nana was telling but when I was a teenager I became very sick and only had months to live. Well at least that's what the doctors told your great grandparents." At that point a tear left strolled down my cheek and the air was so thick, that you wouldn't believe we were breathing; "But my Nana went to the tree late when the moon was full and at it brightest and started carefully picking Pears. I couldn't understand at the time why she waited all day to pick them until she explained it to me. In the morning I woke up to fresh juice and sliced Pears that smelled so sweet the smell controlled the room as you walked in. My Nana then sat me down and told me in order to be better, I had to eat all the Pears and drink all the juice and believe. At that point I was desperate to live that I tried my hardest to believe as I took every bite and drank each drop. My mother took me to the doctor a few days after to see how I was doing and when he ran the test, he looked my mother in the eye and broke down crying and told her Ma'ma, I don't know what you did but you have saved this child's life. She is healed and is going to live a very long time." At that moment I instantly dropped the coffee and couldn't believe what was said. Did we have some secret healing tree? I was about to question it when she continued "When I got back home I went to Nana and asked her about the Pears and the tree, as you are now and she told me the tree was magic and that it would heal us but each time that you ask the tree to heal someone, the tree takes apart of you." I looked at her with the most weirded out face ever and questioned "What does that mean, takes apart of you?", "Well you, your life, your soul becomes attached to the tree. So if the tree hurts, you hurt. If the tree bleeds, you bleed" she replied. "Mama that is bolony, how can you be sucked in a tree? Like really?" I laughed while questioned. At this point it was getting a little beyond weird and insane need to say the least. "It's true child. It is one of the reason's your mother left." I instantly looked up in anger and repeated the words that she just said to confirm that she indeed did bring this up. "She left because she wanted to be with a man and didn't want us around!" I shouted and in a calm voice and sincere eyes she replied " That wasn't it child. She developed the same disease I had as a girl and the same way my Nana did, I made her Pear juice and slices picked from the tree on the night of a full moon and she refused it! She said she rather die then live a long unknown lifespan of a Pear tree she had no part of. 3 days later after she left I got a phone call from the hospital that she had died." Shock, disbelief and anger fueled me to the very core and I jumped up and shouted at the top of my lungs "NO STUPID PEAR TREE EXCUSE IS GOING TO CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT HER! THE TRUTH IS SHE LEFT, SHE DIDN'T DIE, BECAUSE HAD SHE DIED YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD ME. Right?!" At that moment all I seen was sudden sadness and shame come from my Mama's eyes and I knew it to be true. My mother died and my Mama, the only mother I've known didn't tell me. "You were just so young and I didn't know how or what to tell you. So I let you believe that she left because that was the last thing you remembered" she said barely in a whisper. "Mama this is stupid! I refuse to believe she left because of a dumb "eternal magic" Pear tree! The whole thing is rubbish and I am going to prove it to you." I stormed out the house as Mama called for me in the distance and ran to the shed. I looked around for the tool I was searching for and once I found the chainsaw I cranked that bad boy up. I refuse to believe "we are one with the tree" mumbo jumbo and I will prove it to Mama that the tree is nothing but a tree. Leveling the chainsaw as I approached the Pear tree, I started by cutting off all the smaller branches before making my way to the trunk. It took every bit of anger in my not to hear Mama scream "No!" in the distance, and I kept going.

Moments later after the anger washed away and the hurt stood, the chainsaw was off and the tree was destroyed as were the magic Pears in it. I turned to look at Mama to show her the tree doesn't matter and that's when I noticed. Mama was down in a fetal position on the deck not moving. I ran over to her and turned her around to only see tons of blood flowing out of her as if she had been fatally struck multiple times. "Mama, no what's wrong" I cried and held her now yelling for help, even though I knew no one could hear us. "I told you child, I am the tree and the Pears were my life" she faintly let out. "I will always love you and I forgive you. Take care baby" and then she was gone.

By the time I believed her, it was too late.