The Trysting Tree - Story

This is the full-length version of "The Trysting Tree", an essay which was published in OSU's Prism art and literary journal. The essay came from a prompt which asked me to consider the identity of Oregon State University. As I walked around campus and passed Weatherford Hall, where my parents spent their college days together, I thought about the relationships that are formed during these years, for my parents, my siblings, and myself. This inspired me to write about my parents' love story intertwined with the romantic story of a special tree that once graced the campus.