The photographer climbed carefully.
The volunteers looked surprisingly enthusiastic.
Grandpa had one important rule.
Wildlife photographs should be taken at eye level.
Unfortunately,
the squirrel preferred branches.
Very high branches.
Grandpa measured the distance.
Then measured the tree.
Then measured himself.
The mathematics became discouraging.
Two sheep wandered over.
The first sheep looked upward.
“I think he’s having another idea.”
The second sheep sighed.
“Stand still. It usually ends with applause.”
Grandpa cleared his throat.
“I require approximately one sheep of additional altitude.”
The sheep discussed the proposal.
Very professionally.
After several minutes,
they agreed.
Mostly because nobody understood what “additional altitude” actually meant.
Construction began.
One sheep stood.
Another sheep climbed on top.
Grandpa climbed onto both.
The camera reached the correct height.
Almost.
The squirrel noticed everything.
Instead of running away,
it calmly walked onto the branch directly in front of Grandpa’s camera.
Then it adjusted its tail.
Turned slightly.
Raised one tiny paw.
And smiled.
Grandpa blinked.
“Were you… posing?”
The squirrel nodded.
“I’ve been waiting.”
“Waiting?”
“You’ve climbed this tree differently every Tuesday.”
Grandpa lowered the camera.
“You’ve seen this before?”
“Of course.”
“The photographs were never the entertainment.”
The squirrel pointed downward.
“The meetings were.”
Grandpa looked at the two sheep.
Both were still balancing carefully.
The top sheep whispered,
“Same time next Tuesday?”
The bottom sheep answered,
“I’ll stretch first.”
The photograph became excellent.
The tradition became permanent.
Every Tuesday,
the squirrel prepared its pose…
and the sheep prepared their ladder.
Livora Gracely 
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