A Man, A Tree and A Milk Carton

It had everything - nudity, obscenity, violence - it was a story that cried out to be told.

Somewhere during the morning commute, a naked man in a tree at a well known intersection of our historic neighborhood began screaming incoherent insults at passers by and throwing things at passing cars. Needless to say, this severely distressed the tide of car pooling mothers, well dressed businessmen, dog walkers and early morning cyclists. Such appalling behavior was unexpected on this genteel, tree lined avenue, Quite intolerable, one of the witnesses was reported to say as she snatched her binoculars to get a closer look. It didn't take long for some concerned soul to call the fire department - who got him down - and the police department - who hauled him away - he was dispatched, arrested, and packed off to a padded cell without incident.

His motivation aside - drugs, mental illness, an urge to live free or pitch for the Cubs, who knows - it didn't bring out any great excess of sympathy from the neighborhood.

It's an election year though. I wonder there aren't more of us in trees pitching discarded milk cartons and trash at any target we can find.