Casual Tea With A Tree (4)

After several sleeps, the leaves dried, so Ed began rubbing the branches together, trying many ways for several sleeps, till smoke rose from the leaves and fire sat at their middle.

“Tea.” Ed said.

“Yes. The cup and kettle of mud are cooked I hear, put in fire till they become stone.” the tree said and again, through several sleeps and many wakes, a tree whaled, a man sat before it, burning a mud cup and kettle till it became stone.

He lifts the hot cup towards the tree, without feeling the pain.

“Tea.” he said.

“Yes, tea. Water in kettle, leaves put in, boiled over fire. Tea.” The tree drawled, and again for several sleeps and many wakes, a tree whaled, a man sat in front of fire, kneading mud for the kettle to sit.

Soon, a soft whiff of tea surrounds both as the kettle with water and leaves come to a boil.

“Tea.” Ed said as though he had saw something he knew.