A tree friend.

In 1998, I was a few years into the Location Scouting thing, when a project asked me to find a country road surrounded by crops.  The creative was about a working guy taking a break from his busy work day but still staying in touch via his cell phone.  Back then, this was an introduction to a new revolution.

I set out on a search by driving the many country roads in the area.  Some time around day two, as I came over a dirt road hill, there it was, a lone tree near the side of road, greeting me.  I’ll admit, it spoke to me.  While a tree wasn’t in the storyboard per se, I always try to “plus them” by finding better or something slightly different.  I have to show the client this.  To my surprise and joy, the client loved it.

A day was selected a few weeks later and we shot the spot near the tree.  We ate lunch that day under the tree.  And then it was over, like so many one-time locations, we wrapped and left to never return.

Ten years later, I was in the area and a feeling of rediscovery came over me.  “I think I’ll go visit.”  There was my old friend the tree, still standing as proud as possible – but leafless in the middle of summer.  Sadly, the weather and wind and years had finally caught up.  My old friend the lone tree had died.

I parked and paused and flash-backed to the day of our shoot.  I relished and smiled of similar days.  I got out and wandered toward him.  I laid my hands on his dry aged skin.  “Hello old friend.  We go way back, you and I.  Do you remember that day?  We blocked the road, we brought in a special crane and decent sized crew – for you.  Yeah, the Actor did damage the car.  We laugh about it now.  And the phone, oh boy what they do with a phone today.  You still look good.  I don’t care what they say.  Thank you for stopping me that day.”

He had his hey days.  Proud to the end.  My respects to you sir.  Good-bye old friend.

Photos and words COPYRIGHT Jamie Vesay 2011-2012  ANY USE requires permission.