My best mate!
Here's a story why no tree that I've ever phantom planted was a waste of time, not even the ones that have been destroyed!
Around 8 years ago I met this old man one day at the garage who is 88 today struggling to put air in his tyres.
I offered to help him and me being me I couldn't shut up about the Buddha, yoga, trees and how it changed my life!
I went off on a rant like I normally do and the old man didnt get to get a word in back.
I got the air in his tyres and off I went and thought nothing more about it.
He thought I had told him that I was into judo, so he got home and decided to try and find me by contacting judo clubs in Belfast looking for a tree planting Buddhist, he had no luck!
Around about that time I had a fruit tree planting charity and a tree of mine got cut down and the stump discarded over a hedge and the rest of the tree must have been shredded.
I was devastated at this and went to the papers with the story!
This old man to his surprise after trying to find me was sitting reading the paper one day and there was me in the paper holding my decapitated tree stump!
He contacted the paper to get my details and he posted me a thank you letter along with £25 saying please do call by for a chat if your passing.
My delboy dad was still alive at the time and he seen the letter and the money, he said to me are you not going to stop off and see that old boy, you pass his house all the time my dad said.
I thought nothing more of it but it was my dad that kept saying you ought to call in and thank that old boy.
I did what my dad said and called by to thank the old boy and right away we clicked!
He was so funny and charismatic and all his life wheeled and dealed in antiques.
I told him about my buyers of anything sellers of everything superstore when I was into house clearance and antiques and the old boy said I he had been hearing about my store for years and tried to find it 3 times with no luck.
I'm glad he didnt find it as back then as he wouldn't have liked me and I probably wouldn't have liked him either.
I was a bit cut throat and ruthless in business especially with other antique dealers and I would have been full of drugs and booze daily with god knows what other underworld operations going on behind the scenes. I can honestly say if me and this old boy met back then we would not of become friends.
Today though we are best friends, I see him every day!
The tree stump I kept for a couple of years out the back of my cabin in a black bag and miraculously it came back to life and is now potted up and in my old mates garden growing away like a champion to this day!
One day this tree is getting planted in memory of my old best mate which I do hope is not for a good while yet.
This old boy was sent to me, after my dad passed my life was a bit of a mess, I was going through major a drug battle trying to get rid of my demons and was forced into this cabin due to being homeless.
This old boy welcomed me and wee betty in everynight making me dinner by the fire. Still every night me and wee betty call and heat ourselves by the open fire and have the best craic.
He has done things for me not many would. Back then when we first started getting to know each other I was struggling to overcome my underworld life and leave it behind, this old boy was there for me and did things for me I'll never forget.
Hope you enjoyed guys.
Peace and love
The Phantom Planter
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