At any rate it gives you something … on the Apple Tree is a short story about Kim who meets a mysterious man at an apple tree where two initials have been carved into the bark many years ago ….
Ah, the joys of traveling! Exploring new places, tasting exotic foods, and, of course, leaving your beloved apple tree to fend for itself. What could possibly go wrong? Well, if you scroll through Reddit, you’ll find that sometimes, things don’t go as planned. One user recently returned from their travels only to find their apple tree in a state that can only be described as mildly infuriating. Let’s dive into this juicy tale!
So, picture this: our intrepid traveler is off gallivanting around the globe, soaking in the sights and sounds, while their apple tree is back home, probably dreaming of becoming the next big hit in a fruit salad. But upon returning, what do they find? A tree that looks like it’s been through a botanical apocalypse. Seriously, you’d think it had been on a wild party bender while its owner was away.
Now, we can only speculate about what happened during their absence. Perhaps the apple tree threw a wild shindig with the neighboring plants, or maybe it took a stand against its boring life of bearing fruit. Who knows? Maybe the squirrels staged a coup, demanding a better selection of nuts and a more equitable distribution of sunlight. Whatever the cause, the sight was surely enough to make any gardener’s heart sink.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the sheer audacity of nature. Here you are, nurturing this tree, watering it, and giving it all the love you can muster, only for it to decide, “Nah, I’m good. I think I’ll just go rogue while you’re away.” It’s like the tree read a self-help book on rebellion and decided to put its newfound philosophy into action.
Now, for anyone who’s ever had a plant (or ten), you know the struggle of trying to keep them alive. It’s a delicate balance of love, attention, and just the right amount of neglect—because we all know that sometimes plants thrive on a little bit of tough love. But this apple tree took it to a whole new level.
The comments on the original Reddit post were filled with sympathy and a sprinkle of humor. “Did you forget to water it?” asked one user, as if the traveler had committed the ultimate sin. Others suggested that maybe the tree had simply decided it was time to retire and live its best life—perhaps in a different garden altogether.
In the end, this story serves as a gentle reminder to us all: while we may leave our plants behind, they have their own ideas about how to handle life in our absence. And sometimes, those ideas involve dramatic transformations that leave us scratching our heads and wondering if we should just stick to cacti.
So, the next time you plan a trip, keep in mind that your plants might just be plotting their own adventures. And when you return, don’t be surprised if you find your once-pristine apple tree looking like it just came back from a wild vacation of its own. After all, who knew that being a tree could be so exciting?
Until then, happy gardening (and safe travels)! Just maybe consider hiring a plant-sitter next time—because we all know that apple trees can be real divas.
Inspired by: “i came back from my travels only to see this happen to my apple tree” (r/mildlyinfuriating)