The Best Tree You Can Be

"Soooooo what play are you guys doing this year?" I ask as Seth settles into the back seat. His charter school puts on an annual spring play, but the subject is kept secret until January.

"Oh, Snow White." He replies.

Yay! That means they'll use the castle background from the Emperor's New Clothes, (last year's play) meaning I'll only be painting up one bed sheet this year.

"Aaaaaaand?" He roots around for leftovers in his lunch box. "What's your part?"

"I get to be the tree," He munches on some cheese.

Huh. Why would they need to use a kid for a tree? There are plenty of fake ones up on the stage already. I press for further information. "Okaaaaay, so what does this tree do?

"Well, he sort of echoes everybody and then the evil queen falls from his branch," Seth pops the straw into a Yoohoo and chugs it down. I'm still sitting in the same spot in the parking lot.

"Give me and example." I'm already running possible costume ideas through my mind. All I can think of is a great, big, green, afro wig. Could that work for leaves? This is not good.

"Who, who, who... Cliff, cliff, cliff," he says in true echo fashion: louder, then fading away.

The engine is running and we need to head to group violin. The subject is dropped, but I'm still mulling over possible outfits. Seth chomps on a carrot stick. What does this boy eat at lunch?

The next few months are packed with life's usual busyness, and before we know it play night has arrived. The kids rush around in costumes. I rush through paintings faces. Ms. Crystal rushes from place to place trying desperately to keep things on schedule. Parents rush to grab the prime picture-taking spots. A few other mini programs, then... lights, camera, action! Our little tree is cute with his overturned-basket-covered-in-branches-from-the-backyard hat! Our little tree gets a few laughs. Then a few more. Our little tree grins at his family from the stage: the very best tree in the enchanted forest. And his family is proud.