Adventures of the HEADoc (Saturday In the Park Revisited)

 Saturday marked the one year anniversary . . .

of The HEADoc downing the power lines and summoning the fire department for an afternoon of unplanned excitement. What could he come up with this year to top such a feat? The HEADoc actually just hoped for a quiet afternoon of piddling around the stream and newly developing garden area and an opportunity to become one with nature. Sometimes Mother Nature must get bored and have a need to have a little fun herself. At least that's the way it sometimes seems to happen.

The job for the day happened to be completing a small bridge across the stream which basically consisted of a large corrugated PVC pipe with large pieces of lumber on each side then filled in with dirt and debris. Not exactly an engineering wonder but just enough of a challenge for the novice landscaper. As the HEADoc positioned the dump cart to begin filling it with dirt a loud crackle was heard not too far away. He looked up to see a substantial sized dead tree of about fifty feet in length and 2 to 3 feet in girth beginning to break and fall. From the HEADoc's very clear point of view the tree was going to fall directly onto the top of his 4 Runner. Now this tree had probably been in existence for maybe 75 or 80 years. Why was it choosing this particular moment in time to unload its gravitational energy upon a vehicle that had never caused it any harm? There are 168 hours in a week. The HEADoc spends from 8 to 12 hours a week at his retreat. This had to be the worst of luck. Somewhere down a long list of things to do the HEADoc planned to cut down the tree properly but he figured it would stand tall for at least a few more years. This was not to be The HEADoc realized, as he screamed the words "Oh Hell" in terror and realized what was actually occurring. There was a surreal feeling as time seemed to almost halt for the next five seconds. In The HEADoc's mind there were flashing images of glass breaking and metal being crunched followed by thumbing a ride back up Highway 421. The HEADoc winced and prepared for the impact of May Disaster 2009. The tree missed the 4 Runner by about 3 feet or less as it crashed into the ground shattering into several fragments. Only a few small broken branches from the neighboring tree came to rest upon the roof of the vehicle. There was a sigh of relief followed by the sobering thought of just having stood in the very spot where the tree impacted just moments before. Was God or Mother Nature trying to communicate something to The HEADoc through this event or was it just a random coincident?

Different people may interpret such an occurrence in several different ways. The HEADoc, strangely to some, makes the interpretation that he was actually in tune with nature on that particular day. Were he not in tune the outcome could have easily been much different. Some people might say that one is an idiot to entertain such a thought and what happenedwas just one of infinite random coincidences. The HEADoc believes that everything happens for a reason. There are no coincidences.

Being elated not to be without a vehicle and most importantly not to be struck dead by a massive piece of rotting wood, The HEADoc had a wonderful day in which to appreciate nature in its entirety. Everything seemed to take on a beauty not previously appreciated. The bull frog seemed to not show the reflexive fear and automatically retreat for cover. The birds would not stop singing. A monarch butterfly lit on The HEADoc's shirt and slowly flexed its wings for several moments. The mosquitoes did not bite nor did the bees sting. A rare orange salamander was a sight to behold. Tadpoles at all stages of development swam amidst the clear pools of water. The crayfish and occasional minnow blended in with ease. The deer could not be seen but the crumpling leaves gave them away. The closest creature to a snake seen this day was a lizard or two. The HEADoc deep within wanted to contact a snake in order to face his longstanding fear of a creature probably undeserving of such loathing and repulsion. Such a creature has somehow even permeated dreams that could have been less unpleasant. To conquer any fear it must be faced. The HEADoc will make a vow to allow any non poisonous species to live. That represents at least a degree of personal growth.

psychiatry