Inside, wrapped in a square of oilcloth, lay three dull dog tags on a chain, a brass key, and a letter folded small. My hands shook as I read it aloud. \u201cJoan, if you are reading this, the trees are either grown or gone, and I am gone either way. The tags belong to Eddie, Walt, and Sonny, three men from my unit who never came home. I planted one tree for each so they would have shade. Trees are only wood. What matters is who stands under them. If someone cut them out of anger or need, do not let it cost you your son.\u201d<\/p>\n
The letter ended, \u201cThe key opens the cedar chest in the attic. You will find the creek land deed and a passbook there. Use it so no one in our family ever has to cut anything down to get by.\u201d Kevin covered his face and finally told us everything. The skid steer payments had buried him, he had been too ashamed to ask anyone, and when the buyer drove up, he said yes before he could think. \u201cI knew it was wrong when the first tree fell,\u201d he whispered. \u201cI couldn\u2019t stop.\u201d<\/p>\n
By Monday morning, Kevin and Hank were at the timber buyer\u2019s yard. The mill was backed up, so the three trunks still lay whole under a tarp. Kevin sold his bass boat, and I used the passbook for the rest and for his three late skid steer payments, and the buyer handed back every log. I told Kevin the money was a loan, and he would repay it by working weekends in Hank\u2019s shop. He agreed before I finished speaking.<\/p>\n
A neighbor milled the logs that winter into thick boards, and Kevin built a long dining table from them, rings showing in every plank. The dog tags now hang beside the door. Last April, we walked to the creek and carried three seedlings home in a damp feed sack. Kevin dug the holes beside the stumps, and Ellie asked who the shade was for. \u201cWhoever needs it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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