My Cartoon Collection (#3)

I saw this cartoon in last week's New Yorker magazine. (Just like Playgirl, I read it for the cartoons.) I wouldn't normally catalog something so new in my classics file, but I knew as soon as I saw it I had to have it here. Over the years I've thought a lot about this tree-standing-up thing, primarily while sitting or laying down.

Two trees. One sitting in a chair, says, “I’m tired.”

A couple years back I took a trip to Florida with my better half, Pablo. I urged us along on a side trip to visit a character billed as "The Senator" (web page). The Senator is North America's oldest tree, older than you—said to be a respectable 3,500 years of age. When we arrive the "park" is like someone's overgrown backyard forest: dirt road, no mowed areas, no advertising spiel. We follow the broken sign for about 100 feet, until our path is blocked by a scary metal chain link fence that—holy cow! I look up at this huge baldcypress tree. Amidst my awe I think, Well, the world and me sort of grew around this big guy. Lives pass by, war has come and gone, spiritual leaders have come and gone and stayed around, and—man—this tree's been standing here the whole time? Then I was reminded how standing makes for sore feet.

Me, I'd be the worst tree ever. Plant me in your yard and I'd fall down on your house straight off, that's the kind of tree I'd be.

Go see more of the cartoonist Sam Gross's funnies at cartoonbank.com. You can buy stuff with the "I'm tired." cartoon on it from this New Yorker web page. For the most optimal browsing enjoyment I recommend the sitting position.