The Hideout

When I was a kid, there was a large weeping willow in the far corner of my back yard. That tree was a gathering place for all my friends in the neighborhood. It was very easy to climb, and we would spend hours playing in and around the tree. A large horizontal branch near the ground was perfect to bounce on while pretending we were riding a horse across a wide-open field. Upper branches were the crow's nest of a pirate ship or the secret hideout for bandits. The large trunk was "safe" in a game of tag, or a backrest to lean against when we needed a rest.