Being from a military family, I've seen my share of new beginnings. Hopping from place to place every few years takes it's toll on any kid after a while. It had more of an impact on me than my brother or sisters, because I've always had a harder time making friends and fitting in.
When I was eight we moved again, this time from South Carolina to Illinois. The scenery changed from thick pine forests to corn fields in only a day. We were living on a military base this time, I didn't really know what to expect. I remember the car ride being a hectic one, but with four kids in the back seat how could it not have been. Someone was always stepping on someone else's toes. My parents tried to play peace keepers in the car but justice was seldom served. We eventually arrived at Scott Air Force Base, just outside of St. Louis. We checked into temporary living quarters, affectionately known as the TLQ, and waited a few days to move in. We only stayed at the TLQ for two or maybe three days but it seemed like an eternity.
The day we finally moved into our new house I turned nine. It was weird having a birthday with no friends. I was exempt from doing work and my brother and sisters had to be extra nice to me, but it still goes down as one of the worst birthdays to date. I ended up spending the day outside. I climbed an oak tree that grew in my backyard. I sat in the highest branches for a long time peering down at my house as the warm summer breeze rustled the leaves around me. This is when I realized that this tree would be my first friend in Illinois. My mother called me in for dinner. She didn't notice my precarious position near the top of the big oak. I stealthy made my way down and ran inside for dinner and cake, not forgetting the great oak that kept me company on my birthday.
Several months later, I had climbing that tree down to a science. I knew every branch by heart. I had real friends now, but I spent just as much time in that tree as I did with them. We started a little club and adopted the oak as our fort. Most of our days were spent sitting in the tree and talking about the days events.
One day, I remember getting into a huge fight with my parents about something they thought I did that I really hadn't done. I was punished and sent to bed. I forget what it was, but I remember I was right. I decided that I shouldn't be the one punished so I made a dash for the door and ran away. Of course, I had no where to go. I circled around the house and climbed up to the top of my tree and cried for a very long time. It was dark out, but I felt safe in my tree. From time to time I could see my parents looking around for me but I was so high up I knew they wouldn't find me. The next morning I strolled in early because I was hungry and tired. My parents greeted me with breakfast and asked me how my night in the tree was. I didn't reply as I ate. I walked over to the couch and fell asleep, marking this experience up as a victory.
The years went by quickly there, and soon it was time to move again. All of my friends had already moved and I only had that tree again. I was ready to move, and we did. This time we ended up moving to Virginia. Virginia was beautiful, huge trees everywhere. I was going into the seventh grade though, I was much too old to be climbing trees now. I still thought about the oak from time to time though, it was a place I could go in my mind where I was safe from the realities of life.
When I was fifteen I got a chance to go back to Illinois with my dad to go visit one of my friends for a few days. It was weird seeing my friend after four or so years. We had both grown up and everything I remembered seemed much smaller. We hit the arcades and walked along the runway talking about old times. Then we decided to go back and see if we could still climb that tree for old times sake. We were a little worried about the people that now lived in the house, but military people are usually nice to other military people. We ran to where my old house was and cautiously snuck around back. The tree seemed different, a large branch had been cut away where it was getting close to the house. Another branch near the bottom was cut away too. The tree didn't look as welcoming as it had years ago. We decided not to climb it and just leave. It was good seeing my friend after all those years. We said goodbye again knowing we'd probably never see each other again. It wasn't sad, we had both changed and had to go our separate ways. I went home to Virginia with no desire to ever return to Illinois. The people and place I knew of there are in my memories, not Illinois. I still think about that tree from time to time, and I still know all the branches by heart, even the ones that aren't there anymore.
Ryan Cruse