"You've made me look like a tart." Then the voice said,
"You've spent a long time yapping about Mother Nature and how organic you are and you even quoted a poem about me once by Euripides and now you have made me into a freak."
I must say I was taken aback by this tree's assertion as I hadn't meant any disrespect. I didn't think it unseemly to string lights on living bones but now I realize for the first time it is an unnatural act and has nothing to do with Christmas either.
" I guess you are right that I am a hypocrite, ' I said, "but it was out of ignorance rather than intent."
" No way," The Quince said, " You have made such heavy weather of your connection to the vegetable world and apparently worshiped the dialogue between us. It gives us the suspicion that you talk a good game but have little understanding or respectfulness for living bones. Rather than your feeble attempt to illuminate me, try to illuminate yourself for a change."
Well you can readily see that I felt pretty crushed particularly since she has provided faithfully every year beautiful quince for jellies and preserves, a home every year for the Western Flycatchers that grace our summers and she never develops powdery mildew. She has clearly discussed the matter in the orchard with her cousins the pears and apples.I have assured her that I will not repeat any unnatural acts in the future and will scale down my rhetoric, beating my breast about how connected I am when they all really know better!