A Petty Post

Well, *we* are petty - meaning The Tim and I.  But sometimes it brings so much joy, you know?

Background:

We have a tree in front of our house that has been dying for about four years.  We don't have the money to have it removed, and since it's on the sidewalk in front of our house, it's considered a "city tree" - meaning that the City of Philadelphia is ultimately responsible for its removal and replacement.  We got a notice last summer from the city saying that it was on the list of trees to be removed and replaced, so unless we wanted to pay for it all to be done privately, we would just have to wait until its turn came around. Which was a relief, because we really didn't know how we were going to afford it.

We have an across-the-street neighbor whose garage faces us.  She and her husband have been a nightmare to nearly everyone on the street ever since they moved in (he's a DOCTOR, you know), and they are constantly complaining about one thing or another.  One of their pet complaints is about our tree.  I have told her on more than one occasion that the city knows that the tree must be removed, and that we would remove it if we could afford to do so, but we can't.  I have often told her that she should feel free to have it removed if it worries her that much.

And yes, I realize the tree could fall and damage their garage.  But right now, there is seriously nothing that we can do about it.

Moving along.

Last night, storms were predicted as a cold front was moving in that was supposed to break the heat wave we have been having.  And boy, did they move in!  Serious wind, and crazy rain, that all lasted about 15 minutes.  Once it was over, The Tim took Hamlet out for his evening walk, and when he came home, he told me to come downstairs, because he wanted to show me something.  When I got downstairs, he said, "This is glorious irony," and opened the front door.  I saw a fallen tree blocking the way, and denting the garage door across the street.  My first thought was "Oh crap," but then The Tim said, "Look whose tree it is," and sure enough it was not our tree, but a tree from a couple of doors down.  Phew!

But it is also a tree in front of the ONLY house on the street where the aforementioned neighbors get along with the people in that house!  Meaning that of all the trees belonging to all of the houses on the all of the street, theirs is the one that fell on the garage.

The Tim said that he wished he could be there when the neighbors saw it, because he is sure their first thought will be to come to our house, but then they'll see it's actually not our tree.

And this pleases both of us greatly.  Because we are petty.

The End.  :-)