....Cut Down a Tree

March 7th - March 15th. VCU, along a couple other Virginia colleges, had their annual spring break. Most freshmen go home since the dorms and Shafer are closed (so survival is impossible). My friend Joey took me home the minute my Focused Inquiry class let out. I brought home my computer, my clothes, and my Human Spirituality book.
My spring break was anything but a break. The second I got my foot over the threshold of my home in Chesapeake, my boss, Evan, called me saying that the car wash was really busy and they were calling in more people. Since my break had officially started, and I was officially broke, I went to work. I worked until 8 that night and didn't make a dime in tip money.
I got home to my parents bickering about how I didn't tell them I had gotten home, and wouldn't accept the excuse that I ran off to work the minute I got in. They were upset that my dirty clothes had stunk up the foyer, and would constantly heckle me for not practicing better hygene (they're dirty clothes.... I don't see how my dirty clothes should smell good. I don't get it.
I woke up early Saturday morning and worked a full day at the carwash. I made a mediocre 40 dollars in tips. I was upset, because I made more money on the clock than for my actual manual labor. I get paid six dollars an hour, and if I can't make at least six dollars in tips in an hour, then I see that day as a complete failure. If you ever get your car washed at Auto Bell, please know how important it is to tip your car detailer. Stiffers will burn in the hottest flames of Hell.
Sunday, however was a crucial day. I made triple of what I had made the day before (in tips and in hours). I had worked myself to the bone that weekend, and it paid off. I was officially not broke. My dad told me as I got home that night from work that a tree had died over the winter in the front yard, and it needed to be cut down. He offered to pay around 250 dollars for me to do it. There isn't much I wouldn't do for 250 bucks, so I agreed to start on it in the morning.
If you want to hate how weak you are, go ahead and try to cut down a tree. You'll look like an ass. My father didn't want me to use a chainsaw because he hadn't had time to show me how exactly to use it. The tools I was allowed to use were an ax, hand saw, and branch clippers. I have never cut down a tree before. It was a 35-45 ft tall Bradford Pear tree. No a monster of a tree, but not a sapling by any means. So I did what came natural, and started using all my strength to hack off branches and limbs from the trunk. This took about 20 minutes. I then realized that I needed to break up all the branches and limbs into twigs and splinters so I could fit them in a garbage can. I spent 4 hours breaking sticks and throwing them into a garbage can. If you want to hate yourself, cut down a tree.

Since the weather in Chesapeake was dreary and gloomy most of the week, Auto bell had very slow business, and I only went back to get my dad's Jeep cleaned with my Employee Wash. So that left one thing to tackle. The tree. I started Monday morning, and worked evenly everyday until Thursday, only being able to cut everything within my arm's length. Friday morning I wake to the sound of chainsaws. I look outside and see a tree service cutting down MY tree. I was furious, that was my tree. I went outside and asked who said they could cut down my tree? They looked to their foreman and he staired at a sheet of paper, and bluntly spoke, "Robert... Colby?" My dad knew I wouldn't be able to finish, so he called in the professionals. I was crushed. I was working as hard as I could and wasn't even close to finishing my job. I enjoyed a Dr. Pepper and a cigarette as I sat and watched them cut down my money tree. They cleared out in under 30 minutes. You would have never known there was ever a tree there if someone didn't point it out to you. That night, My father explained that I had an oustanding overdraft fee that I had yet to notice. He went into a lecture about managing money and how that he knew I wouldn't be able to finish the tree the whole time. The tree was my punishment, and the reward I was suppose to earn from cutting it down was the overdraft amount. So no matter what, I wouldn't have gotten the money from cutting it down. It was kind of depressing, but I got over it. I felt I had accomplished something still. I gave something everything I had, did a considerable amount of work, and got an amazing amount of exercise all at the same time. All because of that dead tree. If you want to to feel like you earned your keep, cut down a tree.

Friday morning my mother called me from work, talking about some work she needed done around the house. She told me she would pay me, since I didn't get paid for the tree. I accepted, and cleaned the house that day. I drove to her work and she paid me 100 bones IN CASH! I was so grateful, I just gave her a hug. I spent that night with friends I hadn't seen in ages. My high school was putting on a pageant. I didn't want to pay, so i told them I was the president of the Stage Crew Club, and I walked right back stage. I hung out and talked with old teachers and former classmen. I enjoyed a Dr pepper and countless brownies while watching the show from backstage. I didn't pay, had the best seat in the house, and got free food. You can't beat that!

Saturday my band, Vicegrip, had a show in Va Beach. We played pretty well for borrowing half of the equipment we used. We sold a few shirts and a few buttons. I wish we had made more than 30 tapes because we ran out awhile ago, but oh well.

I got back into Richmond this morning(Sunday) and will spend the day in the library, catching up on homework and research. Im glad to be back, there was nothing 'break-ish" about my spring break. I will elaborate on a more personal topic that happened over spring break at a later time.