My older sister and brother always felt someone was watching from The Eye Tree - as did everyone else we took out there…friends, strangers, whatever, as long as they were kids.
They thought for a long while that it was Grandpa. To a preschooler, it seems entirely possible that an elderly man should sit in a tree, playing pranks…right? Anyway, he came out from town every day, and tinkered around on the tractor and wandered here and there, not saying much - so it had to be him. They waited for him to make his appearance, but he never did.
Then winter came, and my brother and sister could see there was no one in the Tree. They became suspicious, recognizing that there was indeed someone watching.
Then they saw a vision or picture of the old Indian Chief, and his grandson, who was to be a future Chief. They weren’t sure if this was all in real time, or not.
They stuck to the conclusion for a couple of years that it was the Chief, until they learned that there was no way The Eye Tree could have been purposely planted over his grave, because the elms – none of the trees – were native to the area. Dad told them the trees were about 40 years old, and that the Indians were in the area 150 years ago, or more.
They were left wondering who was watching. Who stirred up their friends, and spoke? Could it be The Tree itself?
Part 7
To be continued…
