The boy in the tree

There is a boy at the bus stop that always sits off by himself. He kinda dorky, in a black socks with crocs kinda way. (Seriously, he really did wear that.) He never talks to any of the other kids that I can see. But you can also tell that it's not about shyness. This kid seems angry. It isn't just a "I wish someone would talk to me." kind of standing apart. It's more a "I know I'm not welcome over with the other kids and I don't care because I hate them all anyways." kind of separation. Does that make sense?

Anyways, he started climbing a tree at the bus stop and hanging out up there. I didn't like it. I know, boy in tree, what is the problem? But this tree isn't very big. The trunk is only about 6 inches in diameter and the branches really aren't big enough to support a boy. Besides, he doesn't just go up there and sit quietly. He breaks off every single branch he can. I really didn't like him being in the tree but hey, it's not my tree, it's not my kid, it's not my business. But when I was standing there watching branches come down and couldn't keep my mouth shut. I went over and said, "Please stop taking the tree apart. There's no reason for that!" And he stopped. The next day he didn't climb the tree and I thought we were past it. Pretty relieved actually. So then today I went outside and he was up there again. I tried to ignore it. But then I saw the branches down at the bottom. Big branches. So I go over there.

"Please come out of the tree."
"Why?"
"Because you are killing the tree by doing that."
"I'm pruning it."
"No, you're killing it."
"So what?"
"Get down, please."
no response.
"Get down."
no response.
"Get down!"
He comes down one branch. Now the other kids are starting to mill around and see all the broken branches and are actually upset about it.
"Get! Down!" I said firmly.
And he finally does.

Then the bus came and all the kids were still talking about how terrible it is to take a tree apart like that. I actually felt kinda bad. I know this kid already isn't liked and then they are kinda going after him for this. They weren't being mean about it. Just talking amongst themselves saying things like "Who would try to kill a tree?" "Why would someone do that?" But he definitely heard them.

Hopefully we are past it. Hopefully tomorrow when I go outside that tree is boyless.

But I really want to know this boy's story. Something is up. Someone is being mean to him somewhere, probably at home. Which sucks. That's one of the reasons I let the tree thing go for as long as I could possibly stand it. That, and the fact that I knew it wasn't going to be a simple "please stop doing that." kind of thing. There was going to be arguments, disrespect, speaking to parents.

Maybe I'll talk to him tomorrow. If he is sitting by himself I'll go say hi. I'll ask him what his story is, and he will openly tell me everything that is bothering him. And then I will offer some words of wisdom that turn his life around. Yeah, that's how it will go, just like that.