A Choreographed Episode

by
Grace Hill Teselle
9/28/24

Note: Grace is the soon-to-be 97-year old cousin of E-gen’s producer and lives in the nearly direct path of what was Hurricane Helene. The following is about her witnessing the processing of a tree that threatened her house and swimming pool. We wonder if that tree hadn’t been  felled, would future hurricanes make it even more dangerous.

Here’s Grace:

A week ago I watched a perfect show: “The Dance of the Tree Trimmers.”
Cast of characters: three young men, each physically and mentally fit and each with an active, noisy chain saw; and one director/company owner, just off stage.
Center stage: a 50-foot straight-as-an-arrow pine tree, with no foliage on the top branches.

Action: Man #1 near the top of the tree with noisy saw cutting and a long rope, one end  tied to a tree section and the other end held by Man #2 on the ground,  is  yelling to #2, “Move back” and then, “Move left a few feet.” When satisfied, the Sawyer, Man #1, shouts down to Men #2 and #3, “OK. Move away”.

More Action: the bare branches of the 20-foot top section of the tree, having been cut, land precisely where intended – two feet from the pool screen and right in front of my precious azalea bushes. Man #2 praises the cutter, “Great job.” Man #3 steps forward and starts cutting up the branches of the fallen tree top. In a short time  Man #1 warns of more limbs coming down, as he saws 6-foot sections of the tree, which land in the same spot. Held by no rope, each lands with a thud that shakes the ground. Man #2 and Man #3 immediately start chainsawing them piece by piece, working smoothly with each man doing his job, stepping back and forth according to Man #1’s activity. Soon all are carrying cut pieces to the chopper in the driveway.

Happy ending: the dance is soon over. I congratulate the director for the excellent job and hand him my ticket for the show, a check on which the cost is marked at $2700-plus. Appreciating the display of physical and mental talent I have witnessed, my response of “Perfect job” is gladly given. He has trained these men so they know exactly what to do and how to do it. And there are many companies doing the same thing all over town right now.

I am reminded of other shows that people enjoy, like an orchestral performance and a ballet, where each person knows his job. The performers watch the director, so each one does his part in the right way, at the right time. Musicians need to be physically fit too. Dana Dowling has been cutting our trees for a long time. One time after a crew had left, he came back “looking for a missing tool.” He says that when they finish a job and are back at his storage facility, all tools are rehung on the spot assigned to them. He says, “I immediately know if something is missing. I go after it, so we are always ready to go on the next job.” The crew seems to enjoy what they do.

I’m glad to have had that tree down before the wind and rain came with Hurricane Helene last night about 11:00. The storm did not last long, although our metal roof was noisily rattling. I think I fell asleep before the commotion stopped. We were a good distance away from the eye, but the threat of major damage was still all around.

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Last revised 10/3/24