The Bonsai Tree

My father-in-law gave me a bonsai tree for my birthday this year with very serious instructions. He's been growing bonsai for forty years. He has a juniper that is older than me.

I was terrified I'd ruin it. I read three books. I watered it with an eyedropper. I talked to it. I moved it from window to window looking for the perfect light.

Every Sunday, I send him a photo. He replies with a single word: "Good." Or, once, "More water." Or, in August, when it put out a whole new cluster of tiny green leaves, "Excellent."

We never had much to talk about before. Now we talk about the tree every week, and somehow that's turned into talking about everything else. Last month he invited me to his garden to see the old juniper. We sat there for two hours, drinking tea, saying very little, which was perfect.