Scapegoat

The Obvious Culprit

I'm looking at the obvious culprits, the usual suspects. The ones who dress the part. Certainly that's how you spot the bastards. Clearly, obviously, the enemy must be the effusive flowering cherry trees. Their branches are so heavy with cloudy blooms that some of them graze the top of my head. They confuse my judgement. They must be the threat. They are everywhere, and very, very seductive. Shameless vamps!

They spray a powder into my eyes, which well with tears. They close off air flow so I can hardly breathe. They sprinkle fine grains of their poison down my throat, hoping I'll choke.

At least that's what I thought. Then I read the evidence.

I assumed the danger was the obvious choice, the brazen flowering cherry trees. And truly, they do present some danger for some people. But, as I'm crossing the street to avoid them, I unknowingly walk right into the clutches of the real threat: birch trees.

Danger! Danger! (photo taken at great personal risk)

These guys fly under the radar. Their flowers are plain, ropey affairs that barely look like flowers. Nothing to see here, folks. Even the bees and other pollen-spreading insects hardly notice their flowers, so birches have to spread their pollen on the wind.

Birch Flower Close Up

And that's how they work their evil. Their tiny pollen flies straight into me. It's so light, I don't feel it at first, but then my eyes tear and my nose and throat narrow. They got me good this spring.

Yet, as much as the birch pollen knocks me out, its danger will pass. It's not the end of the world. I understand that.

Still, I'd like to apologize to the flowering cherry trees for judging them too quickly.